Two Rochelle Township High School graduates on their way to earning their wings at the U.S. Air Force Academy welcomed their parents during Parents’ Weekend over the Labor Day holiday weekend.
Sarah Antolik, RTHS Class of 2015, and Hunter Haggestad, Class of 2017, are among the over 4,000 enrolled in the Academy in Colorado Springs, Colo. Each year the U.S. Air Force Academy hosts the extended weekend for cadets and their families to connect.
Antolik (Cadet 2nd Class), now in her third year at the academy, is currently ranked as a Cadet Master Sargeant with a current position of Executive Officer of the U.S. Air Force Academy Drum and Bugle Corps. Her parents, Ray and Michelle, along with Haggestad’s parents, Todd and Teresa, joined the many parents for a weekend filled with activities and events.
“For many of the freshmen (Cadet 4th Class) it is the first time they see their parents since they were dropped off for basic training at the end of June,” said Ray.

Haggestad, a freshman at the Academy majoring in Mechanical Engineering, finished Basic Cadet Training on Aug. 5, starting academic classes five days later. His title is C4C, Cadet 4th Class.
“We are very proud of Hunter,” Teresa Haggestad said. “It was his goal to get an appointment to the Academy and he worked very hard to achieve that goal.”
Teresa said during the month-long basic training the only communication with Hunter was through letters, which the cadets can only receive, with the exception of July 4 and “Doolie Day Out.” Freshmen are nicknamed “Doolies.”
“I think the Academy is a very difficult and demanding environment and experience, but nothing Hunter cannot handle. It requires a positive attitude and a drive to succeed,” Teresa said. “Hunter is aware that achieving his goal of being a graduate of the U.S. Air Force Academy and an officer in the Air Force will be worth all of the sweat and hard work. He will have the opportunity to experience things there that he would not be able to do at any other academic institution in the country.”