WASHINGTON - Senator Chuck Grassley has nominated 55 outstanding Iowa students for consideration for appointments to the U.S. service academies.
"Young Iowans who want to enter the academies and serve our country are remarkable for their accomplishments and leadership. These candidates are an impressive reflection on our state and signal continued excellence in the U.S. armed forces," Grassley said.
Each year Grassley has the opportunity as a U.S. senator to nominate either current or future Iowa high school graduates for a select few service academy placements. The Air Force, Military, and Naval academies all select at least one qualified student from Grassley's nominations. The Merchant Marine Academy makes selections in proportion to states' representation in Congress.
Grassley said he encourages Iowa students to consider applying to more than one service academy due to the highly competitive nature of admissions. "The academies offer some of the best options for higher education, and they offer an outstanding way to serve our country," Grassley said. "It's a tremendous opportunity for young Iowans."
Students interested in academy appointments should begin the application process in the spring of their junior year of high school. The academies select students based on the number of vacancies available for the next school year. Senator Tom Harkin and Iowa Representatives in the U.S. House of Representatives also make nominations. Traditionally, the high quality of Iowa nominees results in several Iowa students being selected to attend each of the service academies.
Grassley said he will make announcements as appointments to the academies are offered to Iowans.
The lists below include the names, high schools and hometowns of Grassley's nominees for the 2014-2015 school year.
U.S. Air Force Academy
Clayton Beck, Bondurant-Farrar High School, Bondurant
Maija Bennett, Burlington High School, Burlington
Tyler Bennink, Thomas Jefferson High School, Cedar Rapids
Dalton Doom, Waukee High School, Urbandale
Ryan Finn, Hudson High School, Hudson
Katie Gibson, Sioux Central High School, Sioux Rapids*
Tyler Runyon, Van Buren High School, Keosauqua
Tyler Stewart, Springville High School, Marion
Conner Tillo, West Burlington High School, West Burlington
Jack Walker, Wapello High School, Wapello
U.S. Military Academy at West Point
Anamaria Angel, Van Meter High School, Waukee
Walter DeDoncker, Pleasant Valley High School, Davenport
Hannah Fairfield, Iowa City West High School, Coralville
Harrison Farrell, Dowling Catholic High School, Des Moines
Connor Gillette, Theodore Roosevelt High School, Des Moines
Matthew Haijsman, Lewis Central High School, McClelland
Neil Harte, Iowa City High School, Iowa City
Seth Horsley, Carroll High School, Carroll
Noah Irons, Lake Mills High School, Lake Mills*
Emily Junker, Van Meter High School, West Des Moines*
Cameron Lawler, Southeast Polk, Mitchellville
Peter Meyers, Gladbrook Reinbeck High School, Reinbeck*
Jose Olivo, Griswold High School, Griswold
Ethan Pieper, Norwalk High School, Johnston
Drew Piersma, North High School, Sioux City
Phillip Ramirez, Vilseck High School, Germany
Devinder Sandhu, Valley High School, Clive
Roy Schindler, Davenport Central High School, Davenport
Thomas Wilgenbusch, Roland-Story High School, Story City
Christian Zvokel, Bondurant-Farrar High School, Bondurant
U.S. Naval Academy
Joshua Bailey, Heritage Christian Academy (Home School), Otley
Jacob Baur, Winterset Senior High School, Van Meter
Trevor Bounds, South Central Calhoun High School, Lytton
Jeffrey Bright, Home School, Ames
Maeve Broeg, Williamsburg High School, Parnell
Keaton Carter, Southeast Polk High School, Altoona
Erin Evans, Solon High School, Solon
Micaela Finney, Bettendorf High School, Bettendorf*
Shannon Gorman, George Washington High School, Springville
Benjamin Halley, Waukee High School, Clive
Kyle Hollenback, Pleasant Valley High School, Bettendorf
Nick Krone, Holy Trinity Catholic High School, Fort Madison
Jacob Matthies, OA-BCIG High School, Ida Grove
Henry Oberman, Waukee High School, Clive
Jacob Pence, Cedar Falls High School, Cedar Falls
Alex Reed, Davenport West High School, Blue Grass
Kennedy Salow, Center Point-Urbana High School, Walker
Luke Schmitz, Harlan High School, Harlan
Connor Schueler, Iowa City West High School, Coralville
Zachary Weston, George Washington High School, Cedar Rapids
U.S. Merchant Marine Academy
Jacob Cline, Grinnell-Newburg High School, Grinnell
Gustave Doll, St. Albert High School, Council Bluffs
John Gorman, Marion High School, Marion
Rhett Nowotny, HLV High School, Brooklyn
Nicholas Swartz, John F. Kennedy High School, Cedar Rapids
Students denoted with an asterisks(*) were also nominated for appointments to the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy in addition to the Air Force, Military or Naval Academies.
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