Sparta’s Thomas Dean Selected To Attend US Military Academy

SPARTA, NJ — He’s graduated from Sparta High School and now Thomas Dean, 18, is readying for the United States Military Academy in West Point, N.Y.

Dean was one of 23 students throughout the 11th U.S. Congressional District who Congresswoman Mikie Sherrill, D-11th Dist., recently announced as one of the appointees in her district.

Sherrill herself is a Naval Academy graduate, having finished her studies there in 1994, before a decade-long career as one of the Navy's Sea King helicopter pilots and a Russian policy officer.

Dean said he plans to major in Biology/Life Science while at West Point, with a goal to be a general surgeon in the Med Corp.

“I’m really excited to be going to USMA and getting a bit of an unconventional experience,” Dean told Patch. “I’m looking forward seeing how far I can push myself physically and mentally, and I’ll be hoping to progress into medical school after my undergrad.”

At Sparta High School, he was involved in Student Council, EMS, STEM and soccer.

The full list of students honored in NJ-11 who accepted service academy appointments were:

Jenna Bargfrede, Sparta – US Naval Academy
John Casano-Boris, Chatham – US Naval Academy
Jordan Quiles, West Orange – US Naval Academy
Colin Ramos, Wayne – US Naval Academy
Kenneth Johnson, Boonton – US Naval Academy
Nicholas Amoroso, Montville – US Military Academy
Darius Sattari, Morristown – US Military Academy
Clayton Bernauer, Parsippany – US Military Academy
Thomas Dean, Sparta – US Military Academy
Robert Blacha, Wayne – US Military Academy
Royson Folas, West Orange – US Military Academy
Hyunmook Kang, Montville – US Military Academy
James Conti, Caldwell – US Military Academy
Tomas Hut, Nutley – US Military Academy
Justin Chorstowski, Butler – US Military Academy
Patrick McCabe, Madison – US Military Academy
Kevin LaCouture, Wanaque – US Air Force Academy
Connor Manion, Morris Plains – US Air Force Academy
Hydar Aran, Lake Hiawatha – US Air Force Academy
Yong Seong Cho, Livingston – US Air Force Academy
Benjamin Endersby, Caldwell – US Merchant Marine Academy
Matthew Son, Secaucus – US Merchant Marine Academy
Arthur Dozier, Southampton – US Merchant Marine Academy

Questions or comments about this story? Have a news tip? Contact me at jennifer.miller@patch.com.