Kelly announces Class of 2026 U.S. Service Academy nominees

Today, U.S. Rep. Mike Kelly (R-PA) is pleased to announce the names of the young men and women he has nominated to the prestigious United States Service Academies for the graduating Class of 2026.

A congressional nomination is an important part of the application process for those seeking admission into the U.S. Air Force Academy at Colorado Springs, the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, the U.S. Naval Academy at Annapolis, or the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy at Kings Point. These 20 individuals completed a highly competitive application process and were interviewed by Rep. Kelly’s independent Service Academy Advisory Board, whose members include local academy alumni and prestigious veterans. All candidates were meticulously evaluated on factors such as academic record, extracurricular achievements, leadership potential, character, and desire to serve our Nation in uniform.

“The opportunity to nominate some of Western Pennsylvania’s best and brightest to our nation’s elite service academies is an absolute honor and privilege” said Rep. Kelly. “These 20 young men and women have proven themselves to be outstanding citizens of the highest caliber and I have no doubt they will serve our country bravely and make our community proud. Furthermore, I would like to sincerely thank my Service Academy Advisory Board for their invaluable expertise and input, which is instrumental to our nomination process. I truly appreciate and applaud all board members for their commitment to finding exceptional leaders for America’s armed forces.”

The following individuals have been nominated to at least one of the U.S. Service Academies:

Tucker Amon, Lakeview High School
Luke Berrios, Mercyhurst Preparatory School
Chloe Casbohm, General McLane High School
Garrett DeVault, Seneca Valley Senior High School
Ethan Downing, Mercer High School
Samuel Everson, Aquinas Academy
Nicholas Eynon, Greenville Senior High School
Roberto Farfan, Eden Christian Academy
Collin Hudson, Cathedral Preparatory School
Cole Karpinski, Greenville Senior High School
Owen Krumpe, Fairview High School
Julian LaPietra, North Catholic High School
Caravel Losch, Butler Area High School
Diesel Losch, Butler Area High School
Alexander Oakes, Grove City High School
Victoria Purchase, Villa Maria Academy
Arianna Ruiz, Greenville Senior High School
Maya Wilcox, General McLane High School
Tyler Yurich, Seneca Valley Senior High School
Evan Zehr, General McLane High School

If you are interested in seeking a congressional nomination in the future and would like more
information regarding the application process, please visit Rep. Kelly’s website kelly.house.gov
or contact Stephanie Stevenson, Academy Coordinator, at Stephanie.Stevenson@mail.house.gov.