Caden Tegethoff was built for the Air Force Academy. He just had to utilize a different tool to get there: patience.
Hopeful, albeit disappointed after being initially rejected from the Academy last year, the Platte native studied at Northwestern Preparatory School for the fall semester via a Falcon Foundation Scholarship that came with his rejection. Less than two months into the spring semester at Augustana University, Tegethoff finally received the letter he had been waiting for.
In a month, Tegethoff will travel to Colorado Springs, Colorado, to embark on a career in operations research, cyberspace research or as an intelligence officer, which is something he has been yearning for since developing an interest in geospatial science.
“It’s been a long year and the year has been a little tougher as it is,” Tegethoff said. “Knowing that your patience and your extra year of work paid off was special. I was so excited.”
After attending a STEM — science, technology, engineering, and math — camp at the United States Military Academy in the seventh grade, Tegethoff knew he wanted to attend a service academy. He took a visit to the Air Force Academy during his junior year of high school and fell in love.
Despite an endless list of extracurricular activities and impressive grades, Tegethoff was not admitted last year, but the Air Force still recognized his potential. He was one of eight South Dakotans to receive a Falcon Foundation Scholarship, which provides grants to junior colleges and preparatory schools in hopes of reapplying to a service academy.
“I think (the scholarship) replaced the disappointment with some motivation,” Tegethoff said. “I didn’t get in (right away) and that probably was not what I wanted, but you just have to keep working and you’ll get there, for sure. It did replace the disappointment and replaced it with motivation.”
According to Shannon Tegethoff, her son never needs no nagging or motivation. It was on full display during Tegethoff’s semester at Northwestern, a post-high school academy — designed for those with aspirations of attending a service academy — based in Crestline, California. Except state COVID-19 prohibited him from attending in person.
So, Tegethoff spent the entire semester studying mathematics, vocabulary, English, chemistry and physics online. He was also required to prove he was clean-shaven, his bed was tidy and he was completing physical training tasks through video chat. Tegethoff did all of this while waking up at 5:30 a.m. to train for the Augustana track and field tryouts in the spring.
“It was so valuable,” Shannon Tegethoff said. “He’s so much more ready for what he’s going to go do. It really was a great opportunity. Sometimes you’re disappointed, but it turns out to be a better opportunity and that was certainly the case for him this past year.”
The curriculum prepares students for the commitment required by service academies, but Tegethoff never waned. At Platte-Geddes High School, he was a four-year letterwinner in track and cross country, along with participating in theater, student council and was president of National Honor Society. He was also a volunteer with a youth mentorship in Platte called Pals.
Platte-Geddes’ Caden Tegethoff races to a win in the Mitchell Invitational on Saturday, Aug. 31, 2019 at Wild Oak Golf Course. (Nick Sabato / Republic)
While some kids may feel such a schedule would interfere with friendships, enjoyment and relaxation, Tegethoff felt it was enjoyment and a way to create memories with friends. It is also how he views the commitment that comes with attending Air Force and the commitment required after graduating as an officer.
“With his personality, I think he loves a challenge, so I think things typically a teenager wouldn’t think of as a good time, Caden does enjoy,” Shannon said. “He likes to see what he can do and what he’s capable of. Because the military is physical, mental and holistic, it’s a good fit for him. That’s kind of what his personality is about.”
Even as Northwestern students referred to days as “Blursday” because of daily repetition and when Tegethoff enrolled at Augustana — to study math and data science — and began to make friends and compete on the track team, he never faltered on his desire to move on to the Air Force. In fact, if he had not received acceptance, Tegethoff would have continued to apply until he was no longer eligible at 23 years old.
“I chose the Academy because it wasn’t that regular college experience,” Tegethoff said. “I wanted to go somewhere everyone’s trying to be their best every single day and you’re all pushing each other to be the best version of yourself. I think that was kind of the draw.”
