DUNEDIN, Fla. — This week as we celebrate High School Scholars, we bring you the story of a Dunedin High School graduate who is being honored as a Spectrum News High School Scholar.

Connor Martin will receive a $1,000 scholarship to use toward his college expenses.

Inspired by his great-uncle Jack, Martin says he has been in some form of ROTC since middle school.

“He was in the Army, Korean and Vietnam (wars), and he always pushed me to go military, and a lot of my other family members have served as well,” Martin said of his uncle. 

He says his dream is to serve his country as a Navy pilot. When he’s not throwing around rifles, he’s throwing down chords on the guitar. Elvis is one of his favorites.

“My parents enrolled me in some lessons years ago, and for a while I did it for like a year,” Martin said. “Then I stopped, but just recently I decided to pick it back up as a hobby. I listen to music so much, it was just like, ‘Why don’t I start trying to play it?’” 

He hopes to take Navy Non-Resident Training Courses in college.

“I also attended the Naval Academy summer seminar, so I really got into it with that, and after speaking with the aviators there, all of them spoke very highly about their jobs, and they all love it,” he said. “So I would love to go and fly for the Navy because, pretty much, I don’t have to pay for flight school, all I do is I serve my country.”

Connor’s guidance counselor nominated him as a Spectrum News High School Scholar, and with a 4.55 GPA, the sky is the limit for him.