Bartkoski graduates from Naval Academy

The Bartkoski family will have a special graduation party next month. Their son, Weston, will return home after graduating from the U.S. Naval Academy with a degree in aeronautical engineering.

The Columbia Falls family has planned an open house at their home on Hellman Lane on June 9 at 5:30 p.m. Friends and community members are encouraged to stop by and say hello to Weston.

After graduating May 29, Bartkoski gets a month of leave and then will commission to the Marines as a second lieutenant. He’ll attend basic officer training in Quantico, Va., for six months following graduation.

Bartkoski moved to Columbia Falls from Texas when he was five with his parents, Michael and Susan. He was an avid swimmer and swam on the Columbia Falls Swim Team for 13 years.

He played football and tennis and competed in speech and debate teams at Columbia Falls High School. He was also a Boy Scout and obtained the highest rank, Eagle Scout. He graduated with honors from Columbia Falls High School in 2008.

Bartkoski continued playing sports while in the Naval Academy and was a member of the rugby team. While in the academy, he was a company physical missions officer and company executive officer for the 17th company.

He also represented the academy in an exchange cruise with the Italian Naval Academy.