Jefferson/Silva twins earn spots at West Point and Annapolis academies
(JEFFERSON/SILVA HIGH SCHOOL -- February 14, 2020) – Twin brothers Eric and David Esqueda have never spent much time apart, even during their time as students at Jefferson/Silva.
That will all change when the seniors head on to different military academies in the fall. Eric and David were notified recently that they had been accepted the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Md., and the U.S. Military Academy in West Point, N.Y., respectively.
Forever twin brothers, however, the two have already made plans to meet as often as possible during the school year despite the 250 miles that separate the two schools.
The Esquedas are following in the family tradition of military service that dates back at least three generations. In fact, their older brother attends the Naval Academy now.
The fact that twins received admission to military academies is remarkable, given the fact that the process is arduous and requires a nomination from a member of the U.S. Congress.
“What made us stand out from the rest of the competition is the fact that Jeff/Silva is the top high school in El Paso,” Eric said.
David said both brothers worked hard to secure the nomination and followed advise they heard throughout high school with this end goal in mind.
“The academies like seeing that you are taking the hardest classes and that you are also balancing a lot of extracurricular activities,” he said. “They want to know that you’re taking the SAT and PSAT as many times as you can to keep improving your score.”
After graduating from the Naval Academy, Eric plans to become a commission officer with the U.S. Marines – a dream he’s had since he was a child. David wants to become an officer with the U.S. Army and earn a degree in engineering focusing on combat or defense artillery, although he’s not ruled out medical school.
Photos by Leonel Monroy