By U.S. Senator Jim Talent

I want to introduce you to the young men and women I am nominating to attend the U.S. Service Academies for 2005. In the coming weeks, the Academies will make their selection from this distinguished list of Missourians. These outstanding individuals stood out among their peers and proved to be among the best and brightest our country has to offer. Each has demonstrated their commitment to academics, physical fitness and their communities. I am truly honored to serve as their Senator and it?s a privilege to support them.

More than 100 high school students from around Missouri applied through my office to be nominated. Each student was asked to complete an application and send a resume, an essay discussing why they want to enter the Academy, three letters of recommendation and a high school transcript. The candidates were then interviewed individually by my Academy Review Board in Jefferson City. The Board selected individuals who demonstrated strong character, scholastic achievement and exemplary leadership.

The following twenty students have been nominated for acceptance into the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland: John Willett, Columbia; Kevin Walker, Strafford; Ezra Akin, St. Louis; Denver White, Republic; Joseph Raines, St. Charles; Michael Ferrell, Lake Ozark; Josh White, Bragg City; Elizabeth Regan, Wildwood; Colin Fogerty, Kirkwood; James Campbell, Kansas City; Travis Myers, Blue Springs; Christopher Marolt, Kansas City; Anne Fisher, St. Louis; Clare Crites, St. Louis; Emily Merritt, Jefferson City; Stephen Justus, Columbia; Robert Martin, St. Louis; Mark Mueller, Wildwood; Robert Busiek, Springfield; Sanda Smajlovic, St. Louis.

The following ten students were chosen to be submitted to the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colorado: Rusell John, Huntsville; Austin Nasca, Lee?s Summit; Sam Bexton, Westphalia; David Horng, St. Louis; Andrew Hendel, Eureka; Nathan McCartney, Nixa; Sam Holbrook, Springfield; Natalie Kirchhoff, Columbia; Lisa Moe, Colorado Springs; Sarah Gregis, Bolivar.

The board nominated the following ten students to the U.S. Military Academy in West Point, New York: Brandon McReynolds, Springfield; Jacob Weber, Raytown; Price Harris, Springfield; Justin Voss, Cape Girardeau; Thomas Kuelker, Rolla; Tyler Martin, La Grange; Logan Philips, St. Charles; Dmitry Choukline, Springfield; Michelle Alderson, Clayton; Brian Donnelly, Maryville.

Ten students have been submitted for acceptance into the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy in Kings Point, New York: Mitchell Ulrich, Galena; Gavin Brawley, Lebanon; Nathan Prichard, Liberty; Matthew Harber, Egypt; Peter Hagedorn, Washington; Sean Shay, Lee?s Summit; Tyler Reed, Kansas City; Bradley Pennington, Independence; Keith Mitchell, St. Louis; Josiah Litle, Israel.

Now that my office has submitted the nominees, each of the Academies will choose students from each of the lists. It is truly an honor for these students to have made it to this final stage of the admissions process and I wish them all the best in the final selection process.

I encourage students who are interested in applying to the Academies to visit my Website at http://talent.senate.gov and download the information packet to see if you qualify or contact my Jefferson City office at (573) 636-1070 to request that an application be mailed to you. The deadline for fall 2006 admissions is November, 2005.