Beckham Cothren has always dreamed of going to the United States Naval Academy.

The Montgomery City resident got that opportunity in late June, when he was one of numerous high school students from all over the country who attended the Naval Academy’s Summer STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) program, which is designed for incoming freshmen, sophomores and juniors to pursue a future in science and engineering.

Cothren was one of five Missouri residents in the program, which lasted from June 19-23 at Annapolis, Md.

“I was really excited,” Cothren said. “I have wanted to go to the Academy since seventh grade. I think they said 40 percent of everyone who goes to STEM gets into the Academy. It’s my dream college.”

Cothren, who will be a junior at Montgomery County High School this fall, plans to attend the Naval Academy after he graduates from high school in 2025.

“I want to join the military, but I also love engineering,” Cothren said. “I think the Naval Academy has the fifth-best STEM program in the country. So I could go there for four years, graduate as an officer and get a degree in engineering.”

Cothren was selected to the program after turning in an application in January. The program picks 250 freshmen, 250 sophomores and 250 juniors.

“I have wanted to go there since seventh grade,” Cothren said. “I was doing research on the Academy, I was on their website and I saw the application.”

During the program, participants will create, build and explore projects at facilities at the Naval Academy as well as work with the faculty and Midshipmen.

Cothren said one of the biggest highlights of his trip was finding out about John Paul Jones, who was known as the first U.S. naval commander in the American Revolutionary War.

“I’m a bit of a history buff,” Cothren said. “The father of the American Navy, John Paul Jones, is buried under the church on campus. We got to see his crypt. I think the construction was ordered by Theodore Roosevelt, so it was pretty cool.”

Cothren has done plenty of traveling for the last several weeks. He also went on a trip to Italy with his family from late May to early June and participated in an FFA camp in the Lake of the Ozarks shortly after he came back from Maryland.

“After seven weeks of straight moving, I was pretty much worn out,” Cothren said.

Now, Cothren will get a chance to relax for the rest of the summer before school resumes on Aug. 22.

“I have a lot of classes this year that seem like fun,” Cothren said. “I’m kind of excited for school, but I’m really happy right now with summer break. I’m relaxing, swimming and playing sports in the backyard.”

Cothren enjoyed an outstanding sophomore year that included a sixth-place finish in public speaking at the Missouri FFA Convention and an all-Eastern Missouri Conference award in Scholar Bowl. He also competes in cross country and track.