Rep. Slotkin honors 9 future cadets, midshipmen in Howell

HOWELL, Mich. (WILX) - U.S. Rep. Elissa Slotkin held a special ceremony on Thursday to celebrate the nine future cadets and midshipmen who have been appointed to U.S. Service Academies.

Rep. Slotkin said ”as someone who has worked alongside the military for my entire career, nominating the young men and women of our district who have chosen to take a big step forward in service to this nation is one of my favorite nights of the year. Reflecting the years of effort these students have put into preparing for this opportunity, my office takes service nominations very seriously, and it’s a true privilege to send them off.”

Slotkin was joined by 8 of the 9 service academy appointees for 2023 at an event in Howell.

The nine students who will be attending U.S. service academies in the fall, along with the school they currently attend (and for post-graduates, the high school they attended), in alphabetical order, are:

Liliane Aittama (U.S. Air Force Academy, South Lyon East High School)
Jared Cypher (U.S. Naval Academy, Oxford High School)
Jaidah Davis (U.S. Air Force Academy, Howell High School)
Brianna Johnston (U.S. Naval Academy, OKMA International Academy)
Samuel Keranen (U.S. Military Academy at West Point, Brighton High School)
Vlad Lovin (U.S. Air Force Academy, Culver Military Academy/Rochester Adams High School)
Amelia McWilliam (U.S. Air Force Academy, Brighton High School)
Maxwell Smedley (U.S. Air Force Academy, Michigan State University/Lansing Everett High School)
MacKenzie Ayriss, (U.S. Air Force Academy, Georgia Military College/Clarkston High School)

Because the application and nomination process began in the fall of 2022, prior to Congressional redistricting, the students come from across the former 8th Congressional District (Ingham, Livingston, and North Oakland Counties).

Six students will be headed to the U.S. Air Force Academy, two will attend the U.S. Naval Academy, and one will enroll at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point.

Each Congressional office is invited to nominate up to 10 candidates each year, per open vacancy, at the U.S. Service Academies which include the U.S. Military Academy, Naval Academy, Coast Guard Academy, Merchant Marine Academy and Air Force Academy.

Subscribe to our News 10 newsletter and receive the latest local news and weather straight to your email every morning.