West Point, New York

Standing on the pavement of the sidewalk, I began to take in the breath-taking scenery that lay below me and in front of me. My legs were stiff from the four hour car ride and my head was throbbing from the constant quarrelling between my brother and sister. But now, everything was good. The reviving air was whispering through the trees as it rose from the valley below and cadets surrounded me as they hustled all over the campus on their routinely jog. This was the United States Military Academy at West Point, which is very well known for its academics. West Point is a reminder to all what had taken place in the year of 1776 between the American colonies and Great Britain.Over the course of my lifetime, I have had the privilege to visit West Point three times and I am visiting again this spring.

Each year I have been to West Point I have attended a memorial dedicated to Thaddeus Kosciuszko, a Polish war hero. Each memorial is over the course of two days. There is a conference on the first day and the second day follows with a mass at the church on campus, a parade with the West Point marching band and skydivers, a ceremony at the monument dedicated to Kosciuszko and a luncheon at the Thayer Hotel. West Point consists of an enormous military base and very mountainous and hilly terrain. The fortifications of West Point were designed by Thaddeus Kosciuszko in 1772 and were established as a military base in the year of 1802. West Point was built directly on the Hudson River and in the mountains as an advantage during battle. Kosciuszko was so brilliant that he devised a plan to put a chain across the river to stop the British fleet ships from traveling down the river.

West Point has always been an exhilarating and educational experience. The first time I had ever been to the military base, I was scared beyond belief. As our station-wagon pulled up to the check-in window, a man in uniform and carrying a gun approached our car. He asked my parents what their purpose in West Point was and several other security questions. By the time the questioning was over the man turned to my brother, my sister and I and said that we had to answer one question for him: "who lives in a pineapple under the sea?" Later that day my family and I decided to check out the museum just outside of the campus. Like any fifth-grader, I wasn't all too impressed with the museum and I wasn't able to appreciate what it really had to offer. However, my second visit to West Point when I was in the seventh grade had a very different change in scenery.

My grandfather was the head founder of The American Association of the Friends of Kosciuszko at West Point and decided to have me read two speeches that year. The first speech I read was during the conference and the second was in front of the Kosciuszko monument. These two instances happened to be the scariest moments I can recall. One distinct memory I have of that year at West Point was at the luncheon on the second day. My family was eating with the "vice" ambassador of Poland and his two daughters. My family had gotten up to get more food and I was left eating my alfredo chicken with the ambassador. I went to put a piece of chicken in my mouth and completely missed. When I looked up I realized that the ambassador was looking right at me when it happened, yet I still put the fork in my mouth like nothing had happened. Last year in West Point was the typical routine and nothing too out of the ordinary. I at least managed not to embarrass myself in front of any important political figures.

West Point is beautiful and a great spot to visit for historians and families alike. West Point has a vast span of rolling tree-covered mountains. The Hudson River snakes through the mountains while boats and barges trudge on to their destinations. West Point has spectacular views and provides a historical background that looks deeply into the history of the United States. The parade grounds, the mountains, the river and the public areas make West Point a guaranteed place to visit. The Thayer Hotel is located right on the grounds and is multifunctional for purposes like the annual conference for the American Association of the Friends of Kosciuszko at West Point.

My favorite attraction at West Point is the monument dedicated to Thaddeus Kosciuszko. The monument is mounted on a concrete base and ascends one hundred or so feet. On top of the base is a statue of Thaddeus Kosciuszko looking out at the Hudson River. This monument comemorates Kosciuszko for his contributions to the United States and features him almost as a protector of West Point.

West Point, New York was originally designed as a military base during the Revolutionary war. However, West Point eventually became one of the top rated colleges in the country and is known particularly for it's rivalry with the United States Navy. Truly there is nothing better than witnessing the sun set just over the tops of the mountains or having a smile spread from ear to ear across your face when you read "BEAT NAVY" written on the roof of the sports arena. West Point has developed into a successful United States military base all thanks to Thaddeus Kosciuszko's high intellect. West Point holds high standards for the students they educate to essentially send them out into the world to fight their own battles. West Point was and forever will be one of the greatest achievments of Thaddeus Kosciuszko and of the United States of America.

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