Calla Shotwell is set to report to the United States Military Academy at West Point on June 29 and will play volleyball for the Army Black Knights.
Shotwell, who has attended all three Blackman schools and is graduating with a 4.0 grade point average, is leaving behind a stellar legacy in the classroom and the gymnasium.
She ranks first out of 572 graduates in the Class of 2020. In addition to her perfect GPA, Shotwell scored 32 on her ACT and high school transcript is a laundry list of honors, dual enrollment and advanced placement classes and is also a member of the Blackman Collegiate Academy.
Her extracurricular activities included National Honor Society, Science National Honors Society, where she served one year as president, Rho Kappa for four years, including one year as President, and EPIC Mentor for two years with one year as a board member. She also spent summers broadening her horizon with a Summer Leader's Experience Camp at the United States Military Academy as well as an Education First Tour in London, England, and Paris, France.
“The Army is getting a truly impressive young woman,” said Madeline Young, head volleyball coach for Blackman, “and I am so excited to see her take on the world. Proud is an understatement.”
Shotwell has played volleyball team all four years at Blackman.
She received multiple district awards and honorable mentions as well as consistently earning impressive stats with her offense skills and defense. She served as a captain for both junior varsity and varsity.
Shotwell valued volunteering by helping with the Chick-fil-a Special Kids Daddy Daughter Dances, mission trips to the Dominican Republic as well as serving locally and providing science tutoring. She was named among the Top 100 Freshmen in Tennessee, Summa Cum Laude and named to the Principal List for all four years.
Riverdale's Cadet Lt. Col. Christopher Curtis was previously selected to attend West Point.
Curtis, who is the class valedictorian at Riverdale High School, will also report to West Point on June 29 and graduate as part of the class of 2024.