Local students among nominees to U.S. service academies

December 24, 2024 | By Waterbury Roundabout 

Two Waterbury high school students are among a group of applicants to the U.S. service academies that will meet with Vermont’s Congressional delegation members on Saturday at the Vermont State House. 

At the Montpelier reception at 3 p.m., Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Sen. Peter Welch (D-Vt.) and Rep. Becca Balint (D-Vt.) will recognize 20 young Vermonters who are being nominated to join the class of 2029 at United States service academies: the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, New York, the U.S. Naval Academy at Annapolis, Maryland, the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado, the U.S. Coast Guard Academy in New London, Connecticut, and the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy in New York. 

The students come from communities across the state and they will receive nomination certificates signed by the Congressional members. At the reception, the students also will participate in a roundtable discussion with Sanders, Welch and Balint. The events will take place in the House chamber and the Cedar Creek Room at the State House. 

The two local students in the group are Nathanael Conyers of Waterbury, an applicant for the U.S. Air Force Academy, and Cannon Parsons of Waterbury Center, an applicant to the U.S. Air Force Academy and U.S. Naval Academy. Conyers is a senior at Harwood Union High School and is nominated by Sens. Sanders and Welch and Rep. Balint. A senior at Green Mountain Valley School in Waitsfield, Parsons is nominated by Sen. Sanders.

As part of the application process, candidates for the U.S. service academies must receive a nomination. A congressional nomination is the most common. Through a competitive review process, the delegation members selected the applicants to nominate listed below. They are forwarded to the academies for final admission decisions. 

The other Vermont students nominated are:

• Emma Airoldi of Essex Junction, for the U.S. Air Force Academy. Nominated by Sens. Sanders and Welch and Rep. Balint.

• Noah Bruttomesso of Middletown Springs, for the U.S. Air Force Academy, the U.S. Military Academy, and the U.S. Naval Academy. Nominated by Sens. Sanders and Welch and Rep. Balint.

• Henry Bushey of Charlotte, for the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy, U.S. Naval Academy. Nominated by Sens. Sanders and Welch and Rep. Balint.

• Schuyler Clapp of Norwich, for the U.S. Air Force Academy, U.S. Military Academy, U.S. Naval Academy. Nominated by Sens. Sanders and Welch and Rep. Balint.

• John Hudson Deck of Manchester, for the U.S. Naval Academy. Nominated by Sen. Welch.

• Gabriel Gardner of Barton, for the U.S. Naval Academy. Nominated by Sens. Sanders and Welch and Rep. Balint.

• Nikolas Graupe of Stowe, for the U.S. Air Force Academy, U.S. Naval Academy. Nominated by Sens. Sanders and Welch and Rep. Balint. 

• Levi Halley of Woodstock, for the U.S. Military Academy. Nominated by Sens. Sanders and Welch and Rep. Balint. 

• Aidan Keough-Vella of Bridgewater Corners, for the U.S. Air Force Academy. Nominated by Sens. Sanders and Welch and Rep. Balint.

• Jonathan McNamara of Essex, for the U.S. Air Force Academy, U.S. Naval Academy. Nominated by Sens. Sanders and Welch and Rep. Balint.

• Aidan Militello of Shelburne, for the U.S. Military Academy. Nominated by Sen. Sanders.

• Luke Miller of Strafford, for the U.S. Naval Academy. Nominated by Sens. Sanders and Welch and Rep. Balint.

• Iola Parry of Lincoln, for the U.S. Naval Academy. Nominated by Sens. Sanders and Welch and Rep. Balint.

• Derek Renaud of East Hardwick, for the U.S. Air Force Academy, U.S. Military Academy, U.S. Naval Academy. Nominated by Sens. Sanders and Welch and Rep. Balint.

• Devin Schlegel-Barber of Milton, for the U.S. Air Force Academy, U.S. Merchant Marine Academy, U.S. Military Academy, U.S. Naval Academy. Nominated by Sens. Sanders and Welch and Rep. Balint.

• Penelope “Pippa” Scott of Mendon, for the U.S. Naval Academy. Nominated by Sen. Sanders and Rep. Balint.

• Jacob Shevchik of Essex Junction, for the U.S. Air Force Academy, U.S. Military Academy. Nominated by Sens. Sanders and Welch and Rep. Balint.

• Stefan Tallini of West Dover, for the U.S. Air Force Academy, U.S. Military Academy, U.S. Naval Academy. Nominated by Sens. Sanders and Welch and Rep. Balint.

Vermont high school students interested in learning more about attending a U.S. service academy can find more information online at sanders.senate.gov/vermont/services/academies.