As students around Bedford graduate from high school and prepare for college, two will devote their college careers to achieve the ideals of leadership, character and honor in service to their country.

Jennifer Parsons of Bishop Brady High School in Concord and Adam Fulling of West High will both attend the United States Military Academy at West Point. Both will hold themselves to high standards as they look to fulfill their academic and military goals.

Jennifer Parsons will pursue a career in astronomy at West Point.

“Ever since I was younger, I wanted to be an astronaut,” said Parsons. “I’m going to study aerospace engineering.”

Basic training begins June 30, which means students accepted won’t have much of a summer before they leave. Parsons isn’t worried, though.

“At first, my guidance counselor suggested it to me. I wanted to do something in engineering,” said Parsons. “I wanted to at least try it and see if I could handle it.”

Parsons applied to several other schools, including Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Virginia Tech and the University of Miami, before deciding on West Point. A summer leadership seminar she attended at West Point was what really impressed her the most. “It definitely put it higher on my list,” she said.

Parsons received her letter of acceptance in January. After she graduates, Parsons hopes to spend her active and reserve time studying at flight school and learning computer systems she will need to know to become an astronaut.

“She’s more than capable of handling the workload,” said Parsons’s father, Jeff. “It’s just a wonderful opportunity for her.”

Fulling, meanwhile, will be going to West Point to study mechanical engineering. “I just wanted to serve in the military and get an education at the same time,” said Fulling. “I’d always wanted to go to West Point.”

All applicants to West Point must seek a nomination from one of their state’s senators or congressmen. After beginning his application process in December 2006, Fulling got two nominations from Congressman Carol Shea-Porter and Sen. John Sununu. From there, he filled out the basic application and underwent a medical exam before being accepted.

“They just don’t accept anyone,” said Fulling.

Fulling has made two visits to West Point over the past year, staying one night with a cadet to get an idea for what military academy life is like.

“It was great,” he said. “I had a lot of my questions answered.”

Fulling also applied to Worcester Polytechnic Institute and the Naval Academy. After graduation from West Point, officers have a choice of a branch to enroll in, ranging from infantry, aviation, armor and finance.

Aviation is what Fulling is leaning toward right now.

Fulling pictures himself working as possibly a government contractor or with a company like BAE. Other students from West were very helpful to him in making his decision to go to West Point.

“I’ve been able to talk to someone who graduated from West last year and is at the academy now,” he said. “He was able to answer a few of my questions.” “We’re very proud of him choosing that route,” said Fulling’s father, Brian. “I’m sure it will pay off in the future.”