In a ceremony held on Tuesday, February 20 at the San Diego Veterans Museum and Memorial Center in Balboa Park, Congressman Scott Peters (CA-50) introduced his 2024 Service Academy nominees. Among the 32 high school students from Peters’ district that received nominations, four were members of the Coronado High School senior class. Two other CHS students received nominations from Congresswoman Sara Jacobs (CA-51) and Florida Congressman Aaron Bean (FL-04).
Emilia Alpert and Kyla Granados received nominations from Rep. Peters to the Military Academy West Point; Lindsey Balsley to the Naval Academy; and Luke Machin to the Air Force Academy. Jacob Walker received a nomination to the Air Force Academy from Rep. Jacobs, and Jamison Everitt was nominated to the Naval Academy by Rep. Bean.
“These students have distinguished themselves as young leaders in their communities and will be future leaders of our Armed Services. Their parents should be very proud of the exceptional, service-minded, patriotic young Americans they have raised,” said Rep. Peters.
A nomination is not a guarantee of admission, but makes a candidate eligible to be considered for appointment to one of the nation’s four world-class service academies (the Coast Guard Academy does not require a nomination).
Emilia Alpert attended Peters’ ceremony and is excited about a future serving her country. “It was an honor to receive the congressional nomination from Congressman Scott Peters,” she shared. Alpert is a three-sport athlete (football, lacrosse, and the captain of the rugby team) and plans to continue her athletic endeavors after high school. “I want to thank my mom, coaches, and teachers for supporting me and continuing to help me reach my goals of attending the U.S. Military Academy. From the moment I stepped onto the campus at West Point, I knew that USMA was absolutely the place for me to continue my athletic and academic career. I am extremely grateful for this opportunity and cannot wait to see what the future holds.”
Luke Machin plans on pursuing a path in the Air Force, “I am very grateful for this opportunity. I want to thank God and my family for all their support,” he said. Machin is a four-year varsity water polo player, County All-Star, Second Team CIF, City Conference All Academic team, and co-captain of this year’s CIF Division 1 championship team. He also plays varsity baseball, spent two years in the CHS NJROTC program, and won the 2023 Islander Sports Foundation Integrity Sportsmanship and Friendship award.
Jacob Walker, who is a member of boys water polo and swim teams as well as the Principal’s Advisory Committee and Rotary Leadership Group, hopes to be a pilot one day. “Receiving the nomination means that I have the opportunity to be accepted into the Air Force Academy where I can learn to excel in leadership. If I am selected to attend the Academy, my goals are to serve in the area of flight (hopefully a pilot) and its support services, provide leadership for future generations, and to serve my country,” he shared.
Lindsey Balsley said she was honored to receive the nomination. “I am interested in going to the Naval Academy because I grew up in a military town and I also have been surrounded by my mom’s friends from the academy growing up. It let me see the camaraderie that was like nothing else I’ve ever seen, that came from going through the Naval Academy together, and I would love to be a part of something like that. I would also be honored to serve my country and going to the Naval Academy would be an experience like no other.” Balsley is a member of the National Honor Society as well as a multi-sport athlete competing on the CHS varsity football, volleyball, soccer and track teams.
Jamison Everitt would like to follow in the footsteps of her father who is an active duty Naval officer. “Getting the nomination from Congressman Aaron Bean is very meaningful to me because it gives me hope for my acceptance to the United States Naval Academy. If a Congressman and his board members see potential in me, then I hope the admissions office will see my potential too. I have always had the desire to serve and I know that attending an academy will help prepare me for my years of military service,” she said. Everitt is a member of the CHS swim team, and served as team captain last year. She is also an ocean lifeguard providing rescues and first aid, as well as a group leader for the Coronado Junior Lifeguard program teaching younger kids about ocean safety.
CHS Principal Karin Mellina expressed her excitement for the students. “They are all amazing members of our school community and I know they will go on to do great things in the future. They should be very proud of themselves and I am also very proud of them and excited that their hard work paid off. We are fortunate that CHS has been part of their journey and look forward to seeing where they each end up,” she shared.
Each fall high school students across the nation can apply to receive a nomination from the Congressional district in which they reside. Nominations are based on a ‘whole person’ evaluation incorporating factors such as academic achievement, extra-curricular activities, leadership skills, physical aptitudes, character and motivation. The applicants then interview with an independent Service Academy Nominations Board made up of academy graduates, a former high school counselor, a former academy liaison, and a veteran advocate.
RELATED:
Coronado Students Receive Service Academy Nominations from Congressman Scott Peters
