(Washington, DC) - U.S. Rep. Gary Ackerman (D-Queens/L.I.) today announced that he will sponsor “U.S. Service Academy Information Night” for Queens and Nassau County high school students interested in applying to one of the prestigious United States Service Academies. The event will be held at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, October 14, 2008 at Bayside High School located at 32-24 Corporal Kennedy Street in Bayside, Queens.

The service academies include the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, New York; U.S. Air Force Academy at Colorado Springs, Colorado; U.S. Naval Academy at Annapolis, Maryland; U.S. Merchant Marine Academy at Kings Point, New York and the U.S. Coast Guard Academy at New London, Connecticut.

Members of the Congressman’s staff and representatives from each of the academies will discuss the requirements and procedures for applying. They will also be available to answer questions. The event is open to all students and their parents who reside in Ackerman’s district.

“I look forward to continuing the proud tradition of nominating the best and brightest students from our community to attend the nation’s elite service academies” said Ackerman. “I encourage any young man or woman interested in combining an exceptional education with outstanding military experience to attend this information night to find out what the academies are all about.”

Each year, Members of Congress nominate top high school students from their districts to attend the nation’s service academies. Ackerman is assisted in the process by his Citizens Review Board, a diverse panel of community leaders from Queens and Long Island.

Students nominated by Ackerman compete against students from across the nation and must meet the highly competitive educational and extracurricular standards set by the individual institutions. These include strong academic performance, leadership ability, physical aptitude and medical fitness among many other factors. Those who receive a nomination this year will compete for an appointment to academy classes that begin in the summer of 2009.

For further information, contact the Congressman’s office at 718-423-2154. 

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