Three Fairview graduates from the Class of 2026 answer the call to serve

For three members of the Fairview High School Class of 2026, graduation marks the beginning of a different kind of journey. 

Chase Sherlock, Emily Dotson, and Vinny Rizzo have chosen to serve their country through the United States military, embarking on careers defined by service, leadership, and the desire to make a meaningful impact.

This fall, Sherlock will join the Air Force, while Dotson and Rizzo will begin their careers in the Marine Corps.

For Sherlock, the decision was a natural extension of his interest in aerospace and advanced manufacturing. A Polaris Career Center student studying precision machining, he recently completed an internship where he worked heavily in CNC machining and quality inspections. 
 
"I do machining now, and I've been into the parts of airplanes, like aerospace, so it's always interested me," Sherlock said. "My brother was in the Air Force, so he kind of drove me towards it. He did maintenance, and I want to do maintenance, just to get that experience with the jets."

While he hopes to expand his technical skills in aerospace, Sherlock is equally excited about the opportunities to travel, meet new people, and experience life beyond home.

"Camaraderie, definitely getting friends, meeting people, traveling, for sure," he said. "I feel like most people would make more friends and meet new people going into the military than any other opportunity."

Dotson's decision to enlist in the Marine Corps was shaped by a lifetime of exposure to military service. She joined the Fairview Young Marines program at just eight years old, where she learned leadership, discipline, and teamwork. In 2024, Dotson was named Young Marine of the Year for Division Three, representing 13 states in the Midwest and Great Lakes Regions.

"What drew me to enlisting was probably being around Young Marines so much,” Dotson said. “It’s just always kind of trained me to know the history, appreciate veterans and all that they’ve done. Seeing that, I realized that I could also make a difference, just like they did. That's kind of what started my passion to enlist."

As she prepares to leave for boot camp, Dotson is eager to begin the next chapter.

“When I was looking into the Marine Corps, I saw that they had the job that I really want, which is Criminal Investigations,” she said. “It has always been a dream job of mine. What I'm looking forward to most is just getting started. The suspense of it makes it worse, but once you get started, it's real."

For Rizzo, military service combines two long-standing ambitions. 

"I've always been interested in firefighting, and I always kind of wanted to join the military, but I didn’t know what I wanted to do there," he stated. "When I ended up finding out that they had a good option where I could do aircraft firefighting in the Marines, I was pretty much all for it."

Through Polaris Career Center, Rizzo completed the Emergency Medical Technician/Fire Training program, an intensive two-year program in partnership with Cuyahoga Community College.

Rizzo explained he has always been motivated by taking on difficult challenges. The combination of firefighting and military service seemed just the thing.

“It seemed to be the hardest program you could possibly get into, and that is what I kind of like to go to,” he said. “I like to do the hardest thing, like join the Marines…it’s just what I’m all about. It’s a hard job that has a rich history.”

He believes the specialized training he will receive will prepare him for a future career in the fire service.

"I'm really excited for that fire training in Texas," Rizzo said. "I think I'm going to get stuff from that that I didn't get from Tri-C that I can take into my future as a firefighter when I inevitably get out of the military. You get that jump from being in the military that you won't get from other stuff."

Although their career paths differ, Sherlock, Dotson and Rizzo all share a willingness to embrace challenges while serving something larger than themselves.

"I would tell someone that even if they think that they can't do it, that they can," Dotson said. "It's just kind of a mindset that you have to have, and if it's something that you really want, then you just have to push for it."

Sherlock encourages students interested in the military to pursue a career field they enjoy.

"Find something that interests you 100 percent, so you enjoy it, and be open to meeting people," he said.

Rizzo's advice is broader, encouraging younger students to make the most of every opportunity available during their time at Fairview High School.

"I'd tell them to do everything they can," he said. "Play the most sports they can, do the most activities they can, get the most from it, because you won't be able to get it back."