Student From Irvington Nominated To U.S. Military Academy

IRVINGTON, NY — Twenty-eight students from the lower Hudson Valley have been nominated for admission to United States service academies. Rep. Nita Lowey, D-Rockland/Westchester, held her annual Service Academy Recognition Ceremony recently to call attention to the men and women she nominated in December to the U.S. Air Force Academy, U.S. Merchant Marine Academy, U.S. Military Academy (West Point) and U.S. Naval Academy.

Among those honored was Eric Parke, Irvington High School, nominated to the United States Military Academy.

“Every year I am struck by the accomplishments of these young men and women,” Lowey said. “There is no greater public service than defending our country, and I am honored to nominate such distinguished students to our nation’s service academies. I look forward to their continued success in service to our nation.”

The nominees come from many communities in the 17th Congressional District, including 10 nominees from Rockland and 18 from Westchester. The ceremony took place at Rockland BOCES in West Nyack.

Lowey thanked local veterans who attended the May 6 ceremony for their service to our country and noted her work in Congress on behalf of veterans, including her support for the largest funding increase in the history of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and for expanded access to educational opportunities and health care for all veterans, according to a spokesperson.

Other nominees from the lower Hudson Valley were as follows:

Congers

• Bryan Taylor, Clarkstown High School North, nominated to the United States Naval Academy

Nanuet

• Abid Khawaja, Nanuet Senior High School, nominated to the United States Military Academy

New City

• Matthew Gavin, Clarkstown High School North, nominated to the United States Naval Academy
• Benjamin Lockey, Clarkstown High School South, Texas A&M University, nominated to the United States Military Academy
• Jack Welsome, Clarkstown High School North, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, nominated to the United States Military Academy

Nyack

• Justin Cracovia, Nyack High School, nominated to the United States Air Force Academy
• Omar Marosse, Nyack High School, nominated to the United States Naval Academy

Pearl River

• Sara Slattery, Pearl River High School, nominated to the United States Air Force Academy

Suffern

• Devon DiRenno, Suffern High School, nominated to the United States Air Force Academy

Thiells

• John Gormley, North Rockland High School, Straighter Line Online College, nominated to the United States Air Force Academy

Chappaqua

• Christopher Doyle, Horace Greeley High School, nominated to the United States Military Academy and United States Merchant Marine Academy
• Aron Zhao, Horace Greeley High School, nominated to the United States Military Academy

Elmsford

• Brandon Danuff, Briarcliff High School, nominated to the United States Merchant Marine Academy
• William Elmlinger, Fordham Prep, nominated to the United States Military Academy
• Taiyo Tatara, Alexander Hamilton High School, nominated to the United States Naval Academy

Ossining

• Aidan Case, Ossining High School, nominated to the United States Naval Academy
• Rafael Maldonado, Ossining High School, nominated to the United States Air Force Academy
• Matthew Minihan, Ossining High School, nominated to the United States Naval Academy
• Elliot Ocheltree, Ossining High School, nominated to the United States Naval Academy
• Jaida Lynn Strippoli, Ossining High School, nominated to the United States Military Academy

Rye Brook

• Gabriel Landau, Blind Brook High School, nominated to the United States Military Academy
• Bryan Wei, Blind Brook High School nominated to the United States Naval Academy

Tarrytown

• Cameron Allan, Sleepy Hollow High School, nominated to the United States Air Force Academy and United States Merchant Marine Academy

West Harrison

• Ryan Maguire, Harrison High School, College of the Holy Cross, nominated to the United States Naval Academy

White Plains

• Ryan Grafman, White Plains High School, nominated to the United States Naval Academy
• Clara Friend, White Plains High School, nominated to the United States Military Academy

Yorktown Heights

• Joseph Atherall, Yorktown High School, nominated to the United States Air Force Academy

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