Castor Announces 2024 Nominations to Prestigious U.S. Military Academies

TAMPA, Fla. - Today, U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor (FL-14) announced 26 Tampa Bay area students who received nominations for admission into America's prestigious military academies: Air Force Academy (USAFA), Naval Academy (USNA), West Point (USMA) and the Merchant Marine Academy (USMMA). The outstanding student leaders hail from more than ten local high schools in Hillsborough and Pinellas Counties.

"These talented student leaders are vital to the future of America. Their interest in serving our country brings great pride to our patriotic Tampa Bay community," said Castor. "I'm grateful for the service of my Nomination Committee, which thoroughly reviews every application and interviews interested students. I am confident that this year's nominees will represent the Tampa Bay Area and our nation well in their future endeavors."

Photos of the nominees can be found here.

Receiving a nomination to one of our nation's military academies is an essential step towards receiving an appointment to the academies. Nominations are earned based on each student's interview with Castor's Nomination Committee, their academic record, participation in extracurricular activities and demonstrated leadership qualities. Because of the stringent application requirements, many students begin working on what it takes to apply as early as their first year of high school.

Under federal law, all U.S. military academies, except the Coast Guard Academy, require either a service-connected nomination or a congressional nomination (from a member of Congress in either the U.S. House or Senate or the Vice President of the United States). Parents and students interested in the nomination process can work with their school guidance counselors and find more information at Service Academy Nominations | U.S. Representative Kathy Castor (house.gov).

Castor will announce official appointments at a later date after being notified of appointments by the academies. Today's announcement is the conclusion of Castor's 2024 competitive nomination process. The nominees who receive an appointment from a U.S. military academy will attend their respective academies in the 2025-2026 school year.

U.S. Rep. Castor granted her nomination to the following students for one or more of the U.S. military academies:

Quenten A. Erikson, T.R. Robinson High School - USAFA and USMA

Danielle K. Donis, Air Force Academy Preparatory School - USAFA (not pictured)

Roman M. Lermer, Jesuit High School - USAFA (not pictured)

Desmond A. Nunez, H.B. Plant High School - USNA and USAFA

James F. Riley, Lake Braddock Secondary School - USNA and USAFA (not pictured)

Jessica R. Grasso, St. Petersburg High School - USAFA and USMA (not pictured)

Noelle E. Sizemore, T.R. Robinson High School - USNA and USAFA

Jocelyn K. Sheppard, Shorecrest Preparatory School - USMA

William L. Cadden, H.B. Plant High School - USAFA and USMA

Hannah Hankerson, Berkeley Preparatory School - USMA

Xavier Terrell, Lakewood High School - USMA

Berlin E. Stanton, Canterbury School of Florida - USMA

Jada L. James, Academy of the Holy Names - USNA and USMA

Trace Benn, Jesuit High School - USMA

Rico Gordon-Dones, H.B. Plant High School - USNA and USAFA

Carmen Rivera, H.B. Plant High School - USNA and USAFA

Cyrus Lovell, H.B. Plant High School - USNA

Isabella Valerio, Admiral Farragut Academy - USNA and USMA

William D. Baker, H.B. Plant High School - USNA and USAFA

Elijah Chames R., Berkeley Preparatory School - USNA

Joseph Delucia Jr., - Jesuit High School - USMA

Carter W. Ford, Shorecrest Preparatory School - USMMA

Ava M. Booker, T. R. Robinson High School - USNA and USMMA

John K. McGivern, Tampa Preparatory School - USNA and USMMA

Dioz R. Cruz, Matanzas High School - USMMA

Noah S. Deane, Jefferson High School - USMMA

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