Nicole Snover's career plans include applying to the Army, Navy and Coast Guard academies for admission, though she also has a back-up plan at Union University, Jackson, Tenn., which has a respected Reserve Officers Training Corps program.

The Snover family has deep military roots.

Her primary choice was the Naval Academy at Annapolis, where she was nominated by U.S. Sen. Bob Casey. U.S. Rep. Charlie Dent nominated her for the West Point Academy.

Competition is greatest in the northeastern part of the country, she was told. She was turned down at Annapolis and the Coast Guard but remains hopeful of a West Point appointment. The competitiveness means she did well to receive the senatorial appointment.

Each legislator can nominate 10 people per academy. Several hundred had applied for the position with Casey.

There were no women on Casey's selection committee.

During the interview, the question of homeschooling came up multiple times.

The interview with Casey took place at Fort Indiantown Gap. An interview with U.S. Sen. Patrick Toomey took place in his Allentown office and with Dent at Dorneyville.

Nicole said her father, Darryl, served in the Navy and intended to make it a career in the nuclear field. However, an eye problem put an end to his career ambitions.

Nicole's mother, Tammy, served in the U.S. Air Force in Alaska.

Her grandfather, Layton, was stationed at Fort Dix between 1962 and 1964.

Patrick Cubbage, Nicole's uncle, is a Vietnam War veteran who served with the 101st Airborne. He served up until a few years ago as an Army chaplain. Following his years of service, he worked as a sheriff's deputy and a police officer in Philadelphia.

Darryl's nephew, Kevin Petty, is a lieutenant junior grade in the Navy, which is the equivalent to a first lieutenant in the other branches of service.

"He inspired me when I went to his graduation in Annapolis. He helped me before my interviews," Nicole said.

"My grandfather, Nicole's great-grandfather, Henry Swasing, served two tours in World War II," Darryl said. "He was a chief petty officer in the Navy and is known as the man who almost knocked down Fleet Admiral William 'Bull' Halsey."

Swasing served in the Pacific as part of a carrier flight crew. His job was to run up the engines on the flight deck. Halsey was climbing on a wing and the run-up blew the admiral off the wing and almost off the carrier.

Halsey apologized to Swasing because he should not have been on the wing.

His grandfather was the reason Darryl joined the Navy.

Tammy's great uncle, Ragnar Tjersland (Uncle Rags), recently died. His parents came from Norway and he served in the Navy during World War II.

"Kevin called me when I didn't make Annapolis and said he'd forgive me for going Army," said Nicole.

Kevin's sister (Nicole's cousin Leyanne) married Kevin's friend Chris Forero at the Naval Academy.

Nicole and her father talk about politics. He said the legislature was planned to be adversarial.

She is a good, logical thinker and would be a good attorney, he said. She understands the founding of the country.

Nicole has two sisters, Elizabeth, who is studying criminal justice, and Daphne, who, as a sophomore, has not yet made any career decisions.

The girls have been home schooled. Nicole has been a member of National Christian Forensics and Communications Association, a league for homeschooled students.

A league project is to take a given word and turn it into an eight-minute video. Nicole's word was "determination." She made her film about determination in the military, interviewing active duty and retired military personnel.

It brings tears to her father's eyes every time he sees it.

"Uncle Patrick got me in for the video interview. He knows everybody," said Nicole.

Although Daphne will be in the Northampton Area High School Marching Band playing flute and piccolo, Nicole is not eligible because her instrument is a violin, not a band instrument.

She volunteers with her church and school and helps with art classes at Bethlehem Christian School.

Darryl said he is extremely grateful for the veterans who sacrificed their lives for our freedom.

"People take freedom for granted. My desire to serve our country is something I wanted to do to show the most respect for those who serve and I hope I've imparted it to my kids," he said.