2 Friends Win $500K in Military Scholarships

Aidan O'Neill and Joseph Slattery have been friends since seventh grade, and now they're heading off to serve their country with full military scholarships in hand.

The Pope Francis Preparatory School graduates from Springfield, Massachusetts, each earned highly competitive four-year scholarships that cover full tuition and leadership training. O'Neill snagged the Naval Reserve Officer Training Corps Marine Option Scholarship and will attend Virginia Military Institute. Slattery earned an Air Force ROTC High School Scholarship and will head to Texas A&M University.

The scholarships are worth close to half a million dollars combined. Both young men committed to serving at least four years in the military after college graduation.

Their friendship started at St. Mary Academy in Longmeadow when they were 12. The two discovered they shared more than just classes—they both joined the Civil Air Patrol, U.S. Air Force Auxiliary, where they each achieved the rank of second lieutenant with Connecticut Wing's 103rd Composite Squadron.

Winning these scholarships isn't easy. Military branches select recipients based on academic achievement, leadership experience, athletic performance, physical fitness, character, and commitment to service. Thousands of students apply each year for a fraction of available spots.

At Pope Francis Prep, both O'Neill and Slattery were members of the Christian Leadership Class while juggling extracurriculars and sports. O'Neill hails from Monson, while Slattery calls Hampden home.

The Ripple Effect

The Class of 2026 at Pope Francis Prep proved exceptional across the board. Three graduates are heading to MIT in the fall: Akosua Ahenkang, Marcus Tran, and Oliver Tran.

The 96-member graduating class didn't just excel academically. They won local and state championships in multiple sports, captivated audiences with musical and theatrical performances, and committed countless hours to community service.

"This was a very talented class; a special class," said Paul Harrington, the school's head. The students embraced serving others, deepening their Catholic faith, and achieving at high levels in everything they touched.

For O'Neill and Slattery, their journey from seventh-grade classmates to future military officers proves that surrounding yourself with people who share your values can change your trajectory. Their friendship helped push both toward excellence and service.

As these two friends prepare for different military paths at different universities, they're carrying forward a shared commitment that started over half a decade ago in a Longmeadow classroom.