Driven by the desire to travel and live a life full of excitement, a Statesboro resident has taken off to the U.S. Naval Academy as of Monday, June 23, 2025—a milestone long in the making.
Originally from Dalton and now near Statesboro, Alexander Andrews comes from a Navy family: his father, a retired submariner; his uncle, an active Seabee; and his great-grandfather, a diesel mechanic. That support, combined with his personal drive to serve, lead and explore made the Naval Academy, located in Annapolis, Maryland, his goal.
Before his acceptance to the Naval Academy, Andrews's life looked much different, and the process of achieving such a goal was no easy feat. This past year, Andrews had spent his time at the Naval Academy Preparatory School in Newport, Rhode Island, where he obtained the role as Company Commander, the first leadership role that Andrews had ever been thrust into.
Before that, Andrews spent time navigating the application process, something that started during his junior year of high school, as he worked to obtain a nomination in order to attend the Naval Academy.
As a result of his dedication, Andrews received three total nominations: Congressman Rick Allen, the Secretary of Defense, and a special program for children of disabled veterans, which was received due to his father's disability.
Throughout the process and during his year at prep school, his family and especially his mother remained a steady source of support—sending handwritten letters when technology couldn't be accessed or used, oatmeal care packages when meals fell short -- a small comfort that meant a lot to Andrews during the tougher days.
Now 19-years-old, Andrews is ready to embrace the next four years at the Naval Academy, followed by five years of active duty service. While at the academy, he plans to major in chemistry and has taken a particular interest in submarines, though he’s keeping an open mind about other naval career paths.
Once his five year active duty contract ends, he plans to work in nuclear energy, wanting to go above and beyond to achieve the life of his dreams.
Despite the many reasons he chose to attend the Naval Academy, nothing seems to outweigh Andrews’s desire to travel. His dream is to explore the world, with Morocco topping the list of places he’s most excited to see.
Join us and Andrews's family in wishing him safe travels and plenty of adventures ahead—and here's to hoping he gets that trip to Morocco along the way!