Student Profile: City High Student Inspired to Join Naval Academy by Mission Trip to Help Wounded Veterans

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I am continuing a series on Iowa City Patch where I try to get into the schools and talk to students about their experiences and have them talk about their passions and interests and future plans in their own voice. I have several other interviews done and others lined up, all City High students so far, but if you have a student you think I should talk to, let me know at stephen.schmidt@patch.com.

Previous Profiles:

• Student Profile: Once Shy City High Senior Found Best Buddies in an Unexpected Place
  
• Student Profile: City High School's David Maize Seeks His Next Stage

For today's profile I spoke with Matt Lee, 17, of Iowa City, a City High Senior who is driven to make the most of his life and that includes his high school experience, which he has jam packed with every activity his schedule could bear. Lee is looking forward to his next challenge, as he has been accepted to the U.S. Naval Academy and will start attending there this June.

Editor's Note: This is an abridged and edited version of the interview.

Iowa City Patch: How would you describe your City High experience?

Matt Lee: I don't want to sound like I'm bragging, but kind of… everything, that's kind of like what the City High experience it is, it offers you the opportunity to be the most well rounded person you can be.

I guess with that in mind I've just tried everything I could so I could be a part of everything.

Iowa City Patch: So you say everything, can you just list what everything would be for me?

Lee: Ummm, I've been in orchestra, track, football, wrestling, Best Buddies, FCA, I've been in the student senate, I'm a City High ambassador.

Really if you want to go for it you can here.

Iowa City Patch: So you seem to be the type of person where if there is something on a bulletin board, or an event comes up in class, you will be the one to participate. How do you organize that all? Is there anything that you've had to say no to?

Lee: Well if I don't have time in my schedule then I won't be able to do it, but if I'm not filled to the brim I'm pretty much game for everything.

Iowa City Patch: Why would you want to fill it absolutely to the brim?

Lee: I kind of like to be busy, that's just a part of who I am. Plus I wanted to get the most out of high school. I don't want to sit back 10-years from now and think "What if I had done this or what if I had done that?"

Iowa City Patch: So if you had just been a football player, and say not done orchestra, do you think it would have been a less fulfilling experience?

Lee: Definitely. I definitely would not have met the people who helped to shape me into who I am.

If I had never picked up a cello I don't think I would have ever explored that side of me. That artistic, emotional side that I could express through music. But also I'm glad to have very physical, athletic side to me too, which has made me disciplined and active I guess-- I would have sat around too much if I didn't do sports. It also helped me make a lot of great friends along the way, too.

Iowa City Patch: How do you contrast all of these different activities, or do they blend at all?

Lee: Yeah it really is all about interacting with people and being a team. And it's all helped lead to that one goal of being a team player in everything that you do, but to also take a leadership role when you see that you need to.

Iowa City Patch: And you've said you wouldn't be the person you are today. Judging from where you are now, where do you want to go from here?

Lee: My life goal, I guess, would just be to be the best person that I can.  Whether that is pursuing one of my strengths or still trying to do everything that's still left to be decided, but if I don't try my best at something then I feel like "What if that was what I was meant to do?"

As for my current goal, I actually got accepted to the Naval Academy. My end goal is to be an officers in the Marine Corps. I want to be somebody that people can look up to and trust to be responsible and lead them. I feel like it's a requirement for that person to constantly be seeking the best part of that self.

Iowa City Patch: And I imagine to be an officer in the Marine Corps you have to be pretty well rounded, too.

Lee: Yeah.

Iowa City Patch: Do you have a military background in your family or was there something else that made you decide to seek that out?

Lee: Well I heard my cousin was going to be a Marine officer, and I heard about that when I was in junior high. And I really thought that was cool at the time.

But it wasn't until after my sophomore year. I went on a Mission Trip to Asheville, NC and there was a shelter for homeless and disabled veterans there. And I sat down and I talked to a few of them, and it really opened my eyes to the kind of person that I want to be.

When I talked to them I could tell that they all had a real strength to them, an emotional strength. I was just in awe basically. They were quiet and kind and very compassionate and very nice to me, and at the same time I knew that they were people to be respected.

I just really admired all of the men that I met there, and I decided I wanted to be that kind of well rounded person. That really kind of set me on the path that I am now.

Iowa City Patch: So when do you start?

Lee: I report for I-Day (Induction Day) on June 7.

Iowa City Patch: Are you excited?

Lee: Yeah, a little nervous but definitely excited.

Iowa City Patch: Alright we have now entered the lightning round where I come up with fun questions off of the top of my head.

Lee: Alight.

Iowa City Patch: So favorite movie.

Lee: Oh geez. Umm. Dark Knight.

Iowa City Patch: Favorite book?

Lee: "The Heart and the Fist" by Eric Greitens.

Iowa City Patch: Now that one was right on the tip of your tongue.

Lee: Yeah I love it, I reread it all the time.

Iowa City Patch: Favorite school subject.

Lee: Advanced placement physics… I'm really bad at it but I like it.

Iowa City Patch: Favorite food.

Lee: Burrito from Pancheros.

Iowa City Patch: Are you going to miss that when you're at the Academy?

Lee: Oh yeah. Somebody is going to have to mail me some.

Iowa City Patch: (laughs) Freeze dried?

Lee: Yeah.

Iowa City Patch: Favorite sports memory?

Lee: Probably being a part of the 2009 State Championship football team. I got to come up as a freshman for that and that was pretty sweet.

Iowa City Patch: And favorite creative or performance memory.

Lee: Playing in the City High Orchestra in the middle of Worms, Germany. It was our old orchestra director's last concert with us. It was pretty great.

Iowa City Patch: Finally, advice you'd give to a freshman next year at City  High.

Lee: Get involved in anything and everything that you can, and try to be the best at everything that you can.