Congressman Tom Cole (OK-04) recently announced the names of nine high school students from Oklahoma’s Fourth District that he has nominated for entry into one of our nation’s prestigious military academies. One of the students is a Newcastle High School graduate.
Nominees are:
U.S. Air Force Academy
Joshua Shropshire, Moore – Mount St. Mary High School Bryce Graham, Oklahoma City – Christian Heritage Academy
U.S. Military Academy at West Point
Aden Shumard, Tuttle – Newcastle High School Luke Blackmon, Fort Sill – Lawton MacArthur High School
U.S. Naval Academy
Sadie Garnett, Elgin – Elgin High School Matthew Aguilar, Lawton – Lawton MacArthur High School Owen Kinzer, Moore – Moore High School Anna O’Dell, Moore – Moore High School Payton Thomas, Moore – Moore High School These academies include the U.S. Air Force Academy, the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy, the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, and the U.S. Naval Academy.
Getting nominated to one of these academies is no small feat, as the nomination process is highly competitive. Applicants are evaluated on academic performance, including class rank, SAT/ACT scores, and school records. However, Congressman Cole also takes other criteria, including athletics, physical fitness, extracurricular activities, recommendation letters, and leadership potential, into account when selecting his nominees.
After selecting and meeting with his nominees, Congressman Cole said, “Those who answer the call to serve are some of America’s finest and are deserving of all our respect and appreciation.
“I am so proud of these nine young Oklahomans for answering this call and making plans to attend one of America’s esteemed military academies.”
Cole continued, “These students are truly some of the best and brightest, and they are inspiring to us all.”
