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Community Corner

Class of 2011: A Pilot In The Making

Shorewood graduate Cory Sonnega leads a double life, but found a balance back in his sophomore year of high school.

The 17-year-old senior from Shorewood high school spent the last three years focused on two things-- football and flying.

And now, through his hard work, is looking forward to spending the next four years at the United States Coast Guard Academy doing those same two things.

In the fall Sonnega will begin studying mechanical engineering while playing for the football team at the Connecticut school. And once he’s an officer in the Coast Guard plans to get his pilot's license and join its search and rescue team.

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“I don’t want to do the combat stuff. I’d rather be helping the country through saving lives,” he said.

Sonnega explained that in his freshman year he didn’t know how to balance sports and academics, and got a 2.9 GPA. But during the following year had learned how to keep up with it all. And although one of the biggest changes meant not going out with friends on school nights, he thinks his high school experience turned out well.

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“I just decided what was important to me after sophomore year,” said Sonnega.

He has spent the last four years on his high school’s football team, and as a senior became a captain. Although the team didn’t win many games, he said this simply helped to bring them closer together and make them work harder.

“We had to make sure guys got in the weight room and make sure people played,” said Sonnega, who also helped out by tutoring some of his teammates.

On top of his football commitments he also had to make time for his academics as he looked towards a career in mechanical engineering and becoming a flyer in the Coast Guard.

“I have wanted to fly since I was two-years-old,” said Sonnega.

But although football and academics were his two top priorities, they weren’t the only things on his plate. He was the senior class secretary this year, played cello in the school’s orchestra and was a member of Shorewood’s baseball team, which went on to get second place in 3A state this year.

Last year he was even asked to assist the administrators in deciding which football coach to hire for his senior year.  He helped to ask applicants questions regarding how they would run the team and the result meant a stronger and more cohesive group this year.

“Our coach is much more organized and listened to the players a lot more,” said Sonnega.

But by next year he will have a whole knew set of coaches and teammates to get to know, plus the rigorous schoolwork that comes with studying mechanical engineering.

 “Most people are excited about more freedom in college,” said Sonnega. “I’m kind of going into less freedom, but I’m still really excited.”

Sonnega and the rest of his Shorewood classmates will celebrate Commencement at 2 p.m. Sunday, June 12 at Comcast Arena in Everett. 

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