By Staff
As summer draws to a close, students throughout south Alabama are returning to the classroom. For high school juniors and seniors, this is the time to start exploring options for after graduation.
Many students will attend traditional four year colleges and universities, some will attend technical schools, some will enter the working world, and a select few will attend one of our nation's service academies.
As a member of Congress, I have the privilege of nominating qualified young men and women from Alabama's First District to our United States Service Academies. Each year, I am so pleased at the number of young men and women throughout south Alabama who are interested in attending a service academy.
To receive an appointment to the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, the U.S. Naval Academy at Annapolis, the U.S. Air Force Academy at Colorado Springs, or the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy at King's Point, you must have a nomination; however, the application process for the U.S. Coast Guard Academy at New London is slightly different and does not require a nomination from my office.
For those south Alabama students interested in attending a service academy, it is never too soon to begin the nomination process. In fact, I am currently accepting applications for the class of 2013, whose students will enter the academies in June 2009. The deadline for all applications is December 1, 2008.
I also encourage students to apply with Alabama's two U.S. senators for a nomination, Senator Richard Shelby and Senator Jeff Sessions. Students who have a parent in active military, who has served for at least eight years, are also eligible to apply to the president's and vice president's offices for a nomination.
Students interested in receiving a nomination should contact my office to receive an application packet that includes details of the requirements for obtaining a nomination and general information about the academies. This information is also posted on my website.
I invite all interested high school juniors and seniors to my annual Academy Night on Monday, October 6 from 7:00 p.m. until 9:00 p.m. in the auditorium of St. Paul's Episcopal School in Mobile.
Our office looks forward to working with any interested students and their families toward a nomination to one of the five academies. For more information, please contact Brooks Chew in my district office at 251-690-2811.
Jo Bonner is a member of the house of representatives.