Two Merrill High School students are being honored this week for their appointments to the United States Air Force Academy. Some are saying it’s a remarkable achievement.

"We feel very fortunate that we have two going to the Air Force Academy,” said Kathy Colclasure, a guidance counselor at Merrill High.

Joshua Burton and Zachary Ratkovich have worked very hard to make their way to Colorado Springs. Getting into the Air Force Academy isn’t an easy task.

"Appointments to the U.S. Academies are highly competitive,” said Technical Sergeant Rich Halliburton. “Zachary and Joshua competed with 9,150 other high school seniors for admission to the Air Force Academy and are two of approximately 1,600 to receive offers."

Burton and Ratkovich spent their high school careers making good grades and participating in extracurricular activities. They both strived to be accepted into the prestigious American university.

"Everything I was already doing I had to basically just step it up a notch to make myself ready for the academy," Ratkovich said.

"I think you just always have to tell yourself that it's going to be tough, anything in life is going to be tough and if its tough it means it's worth fighting for," said Burton.

For a small town high school, school officials say it is remarkable that not one, but two graduating seniors have been accepted into the U.S. Air Force Academy.

Merrill High School’s guidance department says they are lucky if one student is appointed in any year.

The school held a reception Friday morning for the pair where they received certificates naming them officially as cadets.

Both are awarded four year scholarships of $160,000 each.

Before the teens were appointed by U.S. Senators Herb Kohl and Russ Feingold and U.S. Representatives Dave Obey, they endured several essays, interviews and physical tests.

The teens will begin their first year of basic training June 26th.