From Basic Training to Back in Class: Skyler Stern’s Summer Adventure
Launch the media gallery 1 playerBy Brayden Suckstorf
For most high schoolers, summer means sports, vacations, or hanging out with friends. For senior Skyler Stern, the summer looked very different, filled with early mornings, strict discipline, and a challenge that pushed both body and mind.
Stern left for basic training on May 28 and did not return until August 16. The days were long, the discipline was strict, and the challenges challenged both his mind and body.
“Basic training was more mentally challenging than physically challenging,” Stern said. “The lack of sleep and the stress really pushed me past my limits.”
The experience built toughness and confidence, but coming back to a high school classroom has not been easy. Sitting at a desk for eight hours a day feels boring and draining compared to completing a 10-mile ruck march. Still, Stern carries lessons from the military into everyday life, approaching school work and outside tasks with a focus and more discipline, getting them done right away.
Looking back, one achievement Stern is most proud of is conquering the 10-mile ruck march, testing his endurance and mindset. And when asked what advice to give others considering the military, Stern does not hesitate, “The decision might feel scary at times, and the thought of leaving family behind may really worry you, but it's not temporary, and it goes by a lot faster than anyone thinks.”
