13 JoCo students are headed to U.S. service academies
More than a dozen Johnson County students are headed to the U.S. Service Academies.
Rep. Sharice Davids on Thursday announced 13 students from her U.S. Congressional District — all hailing from Johnson County — were appointed to U.S. Service Academies. A group of those students were honored at a little celebration this week.
Those 13 students are attending the Air Force Academy in Colorado, the Naval Academy in Maryland and the Military Academy in New York.
They are:
- Aiden Howat, from Olathe South High School, who will attend the Naval Academy
- Andrew Morris, from Shawnee Mission South High School, who will attend the Military Academy
- Colleen McAlister, from Shawnee Mission East High School, who will attend the Air Force Academy
- Elliese Thurlby, from Blue Valley Northwest High School, who will attend the Naval Academy
- Jack Kessler, from Shawnee Mission East High School, who will attend the Military Academy
- Jacob Drone, from Bishop Miege High School, who will attend the Military Academy
- John Hamilton, from Kansas City Christian School, who will attend the Air Force Academy
- Max Doerfler, from Saint Thomas Aquinas High School, who will attend the Military Academy
- Nicholas Westerhaus, from Blue Valley Northwest High School, who will attend the Air Force Academy
- Raj Fanaswala, from Barstow High School, who will attend the Military Academy
- Robert Hickman, from Mill Valley High School, who will attend the Air Force Academy
- Sarah Yan, from Blue Valley West High School, who will attend the Military Academy
- Tatum Grimes, from Saint Thomas Aquinas High School, who will attend the Military Academy
According to a news release, during the celebratory event this week, Ryan Rast, a recent West Point graduate who was previously nominated by Rep. Davids, spoke.
“Having the honor and privilege to attend the United States Military Academy at West Point for the last four years has been an extraordinary opportunity that has instilled a strong sense of purpose, character, and leadership that I will take with me in my future endeavors,” Rast said.