by Tony Gray
posted: 1 June 2021

WHITEHALL, NY --- She runs a blazing mile but she's not faster than a speeding bullet; she's a Railroader but not stronger than a locomotive; and, she high jumps but can't leap tall buildings in a single bound. Luckily for Whitehall Salutatorian Zoe Eggleston, the Army prefers serious students over comic book heroes and nobody doubts Eggleston is not as serious as a heart attack.

Eggleston has dreamed of becoming an Army officer since she was knee-high to a grasshopper. "Literally, since the 3rd grade, I've dreamed of going to West Point," she said, and it came true when the academy sent her a big, fat envelope with the notice of appointment as a cadet. She will receive a good education and many not-so-good hair cuts in the next four years and then graduate to become a 2nd Lieutenant in the U.S. Army with a five-year active duty obligation. She hopes to join the Military Intelligence branch, an army term that loosely equates to a college major.

"Whitehall is just very big into the military," said Eggleston explaining why Whitehall has had three residents placed in service academies in the last 10 years. Two Whitehall graduates have attended the Air Force academy; James Rozell is in his senior year and Air Force Captain John Diekel graduated 2017. Eggleston will be West Point, class of 2025.

She credits her older sister for inspiring her dream, which is surprising for someone whose dad, Darin, was in the Marines and whose grandfather was in the Army. "Amber said something about West Point and ever since then that's been my goal," Eggleston said. "I remember when I was little, the Army officers would come into my school to do drills and competitions and I was really into it." She also has an older brother, Jordan, and three younger siblings, "the triplets."

Becoming a cadet requires so much more than most colleges. All universities require good High School grades, an essay, recommendation letters and high standardized test scores (SAT or ACT). West Point wants all that but it also requires nomination by a member of Congress, which adds another hurdle since each Congress member may nominate no more than 10 people. Eggleston said she was nominated by NYS Representative Elise Stefanik (R-Schuylerville) after completing Stefanik's process that included interviewing with with a panel of congressional staffers at the Warren County building, in Queensbury.

Not even Ivy League schools require applicants to pass a physical fitness test as part of the admission process. West Point's exam had Eggleston throw a basketball from a kneeling position (she said it was probably something to do with throwing a grenade), pullups (7 because that was all I needed to do), a 40-yard run, sit-ups (78 in 2 minutes), pushups and a timed one-mile run.

After she passed the physical assessment, she had to have a medical exam with doctors chosen by the Department of Defense, which despite her being aggressively healthy and athletically competitive, almost derailed her dream.

"I had an incident a few years ago where I ate a walnut and had an anaphylactic reaction and was rushed to the hospital," explained Eggleston, adding West Point wouldn't give her a medical waiver for her allergy. "I didn't want to let go of this dream without knowing I had done everything I could to try and fulfill it, so I scheduled an appointment with the allergist where I had to eat a half a cup of walnuts and wait an hour to see how severe my reaction was. It turned out that I am no longer deadly allergic to walnuts so I was able to pass that test and send the good news in to West Point." She received her medical waiver a week later.

Her mom, Michelle, has a friend who works in West Point's Admissions office. "Jen Arnold was good about helping with informative stuff like deadlines and reminders about due dates." Eggleston said.

The new cadet said her parents are very proud. "My mom is obviously worried because she knows she won't see me much but she knows this is my dream," she said. "My parents have been very supportive of me during this whole journey and I'm very thankful for that."

As hard as securing a spot in West Point was, her summer will probably be harder. Eggleston won't be traveling, or barbecuing, or sleeping late like many of her fellow Railroaders. Days after her June 25 graduation, she will report for an officer version of boot camp. West Point's six-week basic training is called Beast Camp because it can be intense.

"I've heard Beast is pretty hard," Eggleston said. "I'm a little nervous just because it's going to be so new and I don't know what to expect other than it's going to be Hell. But I know I can do it; I know I can make it through."

Retired Army Lt. Col. Michael Rocque has worked with Eggleston and her family to get into the academy. "The kids who are successful are the ones who do all the stuff themselves," Rocque said, "I'm just the facilitator."

Rocque said he has given her a lot of advice and put her on the phone with his daughter, who graduated from West Point in 2010. Some of the advice included being physically fit for basic training and to continue studying. "A lot of cadets that go in there aren't up to snuff but she was a cross country runner in track," Rocque said. "She knows, academically, she will have to stay on top of the books. We're very, very proud of her. She's an incredible young lady."

It helps that she likes athletics, calling it the biggest part of her life. "I really love running, hiking -- any sport actually," she said. That passion for activity will stand her in good stead because after she finishes basic training, all cadets are required to participate in at least one sport every semester.

Her passion for athletics includes running, the high jump, soccer, basketball and pentathlons. Whitehall High School Basketball Coach Boyd Hunt coached her for 3 years in basketball and five years in soccer. Coach Hunt said she is talented in both sports but thinks Eggleston would say she is better in basketball. He described her as being very driven to be the best and, maybe most importantly, is a good person. "We play a really stingy man-to-man basketball defense and she was key to our pressure," Hunt said. Whitehall had winning girls basketball seasons while she played, reaching the Section II tournament finals her junior year thanks to her 25 points in the semi-final vs. Northville.

She was also the kicker for Whitehall's Varsity Football team.

Basically, she was the leader of the soccer team's attack and the leader of its defense, according to her coach. "Zoe is a great kid and she was a pleasure to be around the whole time she was there. She wanted to be the best at everything," Hunt said. "She will be dearly missed and I hope she gets everything she wants out of West Point."

Her friend, Sophie Harris, was on the soccer team with her and described Eggleston as very hard working and athletic. "She doesn't ever give up," Harris said. "She is always working hard for what she wants and she strives to be the best in everything she does." More importantly to Harris is Eggleston being a good friend. "She would do absolutely anything for you and she's always there when you need her."

Harris said the two met while dancing at the Step 'N' Time dance studio when they were around seven years old and the acquaintance evolved. "We've been best friends since 7th grade," Harris said. "She's a very caring person and she would do anything for you."

The friends are taking different paths to the same career. While Eggleston is at West Point, Harris will be join the Army ROTC (Reserve Officers Training Corps) at Siena College, in Loudonville, NY. Both will be commissioned as 2nd Lieutenant in the Army upon graduation. Harris plans to branch Physician Assistant and plans to make a career of the Army while Eggleston hopes to join the Federal Bureau of Investigation after her five years. "We'll definetly keep in touch," Harris said.

She has more interests than sports. "I like watching the military movies and hanging out with my dad," Eggleston said. "I do a lot of bow hunting with my dad."

Plus, she enjoys reading. Eggleston said that's because reading was something her parents instilled in her from a young age. She likes James Patterson novels and has read Tim O'Brien's Vietnam novel, "The Things They Carried," but her favorite novelist is Nigerian feminist author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie who is best known for "We Should All Be Feminists" and "Americanah." She joined the High School's Book Club and was President of the English Honor Society.

Besides being a determined young woman, she is a Distinguished Young Woman (DYW) . Literally. Eggleston competed in the state level of the national program that promotes scholarship, leadership and talent in young women. It was a little harder because local competition was covid-cancelled. She prevailed to become Whitehall's Distinguished Young Woman for 2021. She represented the DYW program in the Memorial Day parade earlier this week.

The program judges considered all her athletic and academic achievements, as well as her volunteer work with Friends Comforting Friends (provides help to cancer patients) and helping with Skene Manor dinner events and her work with the Elks Lodge dinners.

Eggleston said she knew DYW was really good for leadership but wanted to help other, younger girls in the community. "I have two little sisters (part of the triplets)," Eggleston noted, saying "Girls helping other girls is super important." The new cadet said she views DYW as a bunch of young women who are helping themselves while helping each other.

"She seems to be the kind of young woman that goes after what she wants and works hard to get it," said Whitehall DYW organizer Cheryl Putorti. "We are very pleased that she did represent the community of Whitehall because she is definitely a Distinguished Young Woman with a great future before her, we wish her all the best."

The new soldier hopes her achievement will inspire all the young people in her community to realize anything is possible if they are willing to work for it and never give up.

"I also hope that I inspire more young people to be ambitious with their goals," Eggleston said.

"Just because you are from a small town doesn't mean you can't do big things."