Williamsville Courier/ Friday, January 2, 2015
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Manna enjoying her time at West Point Will-South grad becomes member of the Long Gray Line By Matthew Ondesko MANAGING EDITOR
There are times you just forget. You forget they are only kids. Kids that have made a life changing decision. They look invincible in their dress uniforms. They look like they can change the world. That nothing can hurt them. But, remember, they are just like you and I. The only difference is they are going to be serving our country in just a couple of years, helping to protect the freedom that many of us enjoy. But, at the end of the day, they are college students. “We get personified as these invincible, tough human beings,” stated West Point Firstie Maria Manna. “But, none of us are like that. We all love being ourselves and doing things like shopping and playing sports. What normal people like to do.” For Williamsville South High School graduate Maria Manna she grew up not knowing much about the military life. She didn’t come from a military family. So, when the United States Military Academy at West Point came to St. Gregory the Great one day she was hooked. Maybe it was the awe of the dress gray uniforms the Cadets were wearing that day. Maybe it was the sense
Pictured from the United States Military Academy West Point, left to right, are: Devin Long (Georgia), Maria Manna (Williamsville), Andrew Mohr (Williamsville). of pride she had watching them sing for everybody. Whatever the case was, Manna knew she wanted to follow the path of the military. She wanted to get an Ivy League education, while serving her country in the process. “West Point Catholic Choir came to my church [St. Gregory the Great] when I was in sixth grade.
Before that I had never heard of West Point,” explained Manna. “When they came they looked very impressive in their uniforms and I was able to talk with them afterward. I just had that vision of being a Cadet. With my personality, I was a natural fit.” But, like most young men and women who attend one of the three acad-
emies, the reality of academy life hits you straight in the face. Becoming a member of the prestigious Long Gray Line isn’t easy. It isn’t handed to you on a silver platter. You need to work for it. You need to be committed to the cause. Committed to the military lifestyle and training, while still going to class and participat-
ing in other activities, like sports and Glee Club. “We take certain classes at West Point, like survival swimming,” stated Manna. “This is where you learn to swim with your gear. It is very difficult being 130-pounds and carrying 45-pounds of gear in the water, while trying not to drown. The nickname for the class is Cow [Junior
year] drowning. The standards in this class are the same for men and women.” Manna is a singer. She sings at West Point and has been able to travel around the United States to perform. Not many people can say they have been able to perform in front of thousands of people at Yankee Stadium, but she can. “Being in Glee Club freshman year I was able to leave almost every weekend,” said Manna. I traveled to Kentucky and was able to sing at some military balls. Members of the club were also invited to perform at some major sporting events. The Houston Texans and New York Rangers invited members of the Glee Club down to sing the national anthem. So, that was really exiting - because it’s kind of a get out of jail free card. You get to hang out with your friends outside of school, which is something that you normally can’t do your freshman year.” Four years have flown by for Manna since she was that wide-eyed Plebe (Freshman) from Williamsville. Because of some bumps and bruises she sustained during training, Manna is due to graduate from the academy in December of 2015.
See West Point, ‘Page 3’