After being called to the principal’s office, senior Mark Mercer settled into Principal Chris Choat’s chair for a phone call with U.S. Congressman Pete Sessions. He had no idea that he had been accepted into the United States Naval Academy, and was about to get the news.

“I didn’t know because I received a naval RTC Scholarship – I thought it was about that initially,” Mark said. “When they brought me the note, I thought that I was in trouble for some reason.”

The United States Naval Academy prepares ungraduate students to become professional officers in the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps. The Students are Midshipmen on active duty in the U.S. Navy.

After becoming frustrated with the process of signing with a college to play baseball, Mark began to consider the Naval Academy.

“I started looking into the military because I know a lot of people that are in it, or have been in it, and to be those guys seems like partially superheroes – they are the bravest people ever, and I would like to see myself as one of those guys,” he said.

Mark’s mom said she knew he had the potential to be accepted to a prestigious military school.

“I felt like he had a good shot at it,” said Mark’s mom Laura Mercer. “I felt like he had a really good chance, so we just provided a lot of encouragement and kept him going.”