METAIRIE, LA – “As a high school student, I know first-hand that Rummel does everything a student requires to meet his full potential,” Archbishop Rummel High School senior Devin Sauerhoff said. “Colleges and universities may push you further, but I recognize that this school is definitely preparing us for life’s successes and more.”
As Sauerhoff handles the daily routine of a high school student, he is masterfully juggling his academic, social, and extracurricular responsibilities, school reps said. But unlike most high school students across the country, his plans for the next several years are almost final. In the fall he hopes to be a plebe at the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, MD.
This senior comes from a military family, as he was born on Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, TX. The Sauerhoffs lived in Texas through his grammar school years and moved to Louisiana for high school after his father received a civil service job in New Orleans.
“The move to Jefferson Parish and Rummel wasn’t as awkward as I thought it might be, but I was surprised to hear that Rummel was an all-boys school,” Sauerhoff said. “I had never heard of all-boys schools before, so that was rather surprising.”
He said he quickly felt comfortable in his new surroundings, after he joined the Cross Country team during the summer.
“I found that I immediately became friends with guys on the team and witnessed the same thing when school started,” he said. “It was just easy to make friends and to join the Rummel Family. I knew right away that I had made a good decision in choosing Rummel for high school.”
Sauerhoff began his freshman year in the Honors Program and said he found the courses challenging. “They were without a doubt the most difficult courses I have ever faced, but then I like the challenge of taking demanding courses,” he said.
In the classroom, Sauerhoff finds mathematics thought-provoking and his most enjoyable class. He said math was not always his most gratifying class, but after this year in Calculus AP, it’s his favorite.
“Taking AP Calculus with Mr. (David) Rodriguez is challenging,” he said. “He is one tough guy and it’s essential to keep up in class because he moves the class along with a steady pace. If you fall behind, you’ll have great difficulty keeping up with the class.”
Explaining his interest in the military takes Sauerhoff back to his grammar school days in Texas. He said he was in fifth grade when he told his mom that he wanted to join the military when he could, but she told him that college had to come first.
“To satisfy my interest, we searched the different military academies and my initial interest was with the Air Force Academy in Colorado, probably because both my parents were in the Air Force,” he said.
Sauerhoff added that while his family was in the Air Force, they were first responders to the Oklahoma City bombing in 1995.
Still interested in the military while at Rummel, Sauerhoff applied for summer seminars between his junior and senior years of school. He sent applications to both the Air Force and Naval Academies. While researching he discovered that the Naval Academy had similar flight opportunities to the Air Force and became a serious contender for his military academy choice.
“I attended both sessions this past summer but found the Naval Academy a lot like Rummel,” Sauerhoff said. “The personnel there was more personable and friendly. They really emphasized service to the country and I like that a lot. It had more Raider Pride.”
While participating in the Naval Academy’s summer session, he received a most coveted Letter of Assurance from the Academy.
“After having completed the academy application, I traveled to Annapolis for the summer session,” he said. “I then took the Candidate Fitness Assessment and crushed the test. Navy personnel was impressed after observing me the whole week and offered me the Letter of Assurance that guarantees entrance to the Academy if all other criteria are met.
“Of all the thousands of high school seniors who apply for the Naval Academy, only 1,400 are selected,” he said. “From the 1,400 accepted, only 200 receive Letters of Assurance.”
Sauerhoff said what makes his assurance letter all the more special is he received the letter in early June from the Naval Academy’s Dean of Admissions which is two months before the admissions committee actually convenes.
According to Sauerhoff, the Admissions Dean told him that he received the earliest letter ever given and that she’s confident no one will ever get an early one like his ever again. She made the announcement before 800 students attending the summer session.
All that’s left for Devin Sauerhoff are nomination letters. He is seeking letters from Archbishop Rummel alumnus and U.S. Representative Steve Scalise, ’81, U.S. Senators Bill Cassidy and David Vitter, and Vice President Joe Biden.
His future plans include reporting to Plebe Summer at the Naval Academy on June 30, 2017, and earning a university degree in Systems Engineering in four years. After graduation he will attend Flight School in Pensacola, FL, for two years. He will spend his free time on Navy ships in the United States and around the world.
While most high school seniors are just now applying to colleges and universities, senior Devin Sauerhoff has his future practically set. His plans include graduating from Archbishop Rummel, possibly as valedictorian or salutatorian with his 4.92 GPA, studying engineering at the Naval Academy, and making the Navy his lifelong career.
“I am so grateful to so many people who have guided me through this process, especially the fine teachers at Archbishop Rummel,” Sauerhoff said. “I will forever be happy with my decision to become a Rummel Raider. It’s without a doubt the best educational decision I’ve ever made.”
