headshot Abby Burkart wearing purple tie dye shirt

Rising Tonganoxie High School freshman Abby Burkart will travel to Annapolis, Maryland, next week to participate in the United States Naval Academy’s annual Summer STEM Program. She will spend the week living on campus and taking part in various STEM-focused activities and projects, as well as working in state-of-the-art lab facilities and attending field trips with students from across the nation.

Acceptance into this competitive program, which requires an extensive application process, is based on exceptional student achievement inside and outside the classroom, outstanding academic performance, and evidence of a strong interest in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math. The Academy receives over 5,000 applications every year; only 280 students are chosen for each of the three grade-level sessions. The undergraduate engineering program at the Naval Academy has consistently been ranked in the top five in the nation by U.S. News & World Report.

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