{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://castor.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=403974", "U.S. Rep. Castor announces her 2022 nominations to U.S. military academies", "2022-11-30", "2022", "2022-11", "Democrat", "House", "FL", "Kathy Castor", "C001066", "castor.house.gov", "castor", "https://castor.house.gov/news/documentquery.aspx", "scraper", "Today, U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor (FL14) announced that 21 students representing more than ten local high schools received nominations for admission into our nation\u2019s military academies: Air Force (USAFA), Navy (USNA), Army (USMA) and Merchant Marine (USMMA).\n\n\u201cThese talented student leaders are critical to the future of America. Their commitment to serving our country will make our patriotic Tampa Bay community proud,\u201d said Castor.\n\n\u201cI am grateful for the service of my dedicated Nomination Committee that thoroughly reviews each application and meets with interested students,\u201d Castor continued. \u201cI know that this year\u2019s nominees will represent Tampa Bay and America well in all that the future holds for them.\u201d\n\nPhotos of the nominees can be found here.\n\nReceiving a nomination to one of our nation\u2019s military academies is an essential step towards receiving an appointment to the academies. Nominations are earned based upon each student\u2019s interview with Castor\u2019s Nomination Committee, their academic record, participation in extracurricular activities and demonstrated leadership qualities. Because of the stringent application requirements, many students begin working on what it takes to apply as early as their first year of high school.\n\nBased upon the process established by federal law, all U.S. military academies, except the Coast Guard Academy, require either a service-connected or Congressional nomination (from their Member of Congress, U.S. Senator or the Vice President of the United States). Parents and students interested in the nomination process can work with their school guidance counselors and find more information at Service Academy Nominations | U.S. Representative Kathy Castor (house.gov).\n\nCastor will announce official appointments at a later date after being notified of appointments by the academies. Today\u2019s announcement is the conclusion of Castor\u2019s 2022 competitive nomination process. The nominees who receive an appointment from a U.S. military academy will attend their respective academies in the 2023-2024 school year.\n\nU.S. Rep. Castor granted her nomination to the following students for one or more of the U.S. military academies:\n\nJoshua Willke, Cambridge Christian School \u2013 USMA\n\nKalesha Bowers, Wharton High School \u2013 USMA\n\nSkyllar Erikson, Robinson High School \u2013 USMA + USAFA\n\nJuan Figuera-Parra, Jesuit High School \u2013 USNA\n\nGrayson Gallagher, Jesuit High School \u2013 USNA\n\nKatherine Merrill, Academy of the Holy Names \u2013 USNA\n\nLea Visher, Brooks-DeBartolo High School \u2013 USNA + USAFA\n\nLuke Hamilton, Plant High School \u2013 USNA + USAFA\n\nTrace Benn, Jesuit High School \u2013 USNA\n\nAgustin Barrido, Berkeley Prep \u2013 USNA + USAFA\n\nDamien Uzonwanne, Berkeley Prep \u2013 USNA + USAFA\n\nAustin White, Robinson High School \u2013 USNA + USAFA\n\nGrace Houghton, Stuggart High School \u2013 USNA + USAFA\n\nGrant Creedican, Jesuit High School \u2013 USNA\n\nElaiza Varela, Sickles High School \u2013 USNA + USAFA\n\nEmma Stone, Freedom High School \u2013 USNA\n\nJean-Carlo Zapta, Home School \u2013 USAFA\n\nTurner Ashby, Plant High School \u2013 USAFA\n\nOliver Hewitt-Qualls, Plant High School \u2013 USAFA\n\nReagan Wilson, Sickles High School \u2013 USAFA\n\nAdrianna Cook, Ramstein High School; Falcon Foundation Prep School \u2013 USAFA", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T03:24:37Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://castor.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=403974"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 0.8191179949790239, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}