Garrett nominates Alexi Mendolia to the U.S. Naval Academy


Rep. Garrett nominated Alexi Mendolia from Oakland to the
U.S. Naval Academy at a ceremony in New Jersey.

garrettnomineeoakland2014

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Rep. Scott Garrett (NJ-05) is proud to announce the nomination of 30 Fifth District high school students to United States service academies, including the Military Academy at West Point, the Naval Academy at Annapolis, the Merchant Marine Academy at Kings Point and the Air Force Academy at Colorado Springs. This year’s nominees were honored by the Congressman at a ceremony at Ramapo College in Mahwah on Friday, March 14, 2014.

“It is an honor to nominate this outstanding group of young men and women to our nation’s prestigious military academies,” said Garrett at the nomination ceremony. “Their hard work, perseverance and commitment to service make them worthy of becoming future leaders in our nation’s armed forces.  I wish the nominees all the best as they continue with the application process.”

Applications to the Military Academy, the Naval Academy, the Air Force Academy and the Merchant Marine Academy require a nomination by a Congressman or a Senator, however, the Congressional nomination does not guarantee acceptance.  To assist with the nomination process, Congressman Garrett established an esteemed committee of military and civic leaders that interviewed potential nominees, reviewed their applications and made recommendations to the Congressman.  Click here for more information about Congressman Garrett’s nomination process.

Below is a complete list of the nominees by academy (please note, some candidates were nominated to more than one academy):

United States Military Academy at West Point

Jack Wedholm – Blairstown, North Warren Regional High School
Kyle Lackey – Newton, Kittatinny Regional High School
Alexander Webb – Blairstown, North Warren Regional High School
Timothy Cooke – Old Tappan, Northern Valley Regional High School 
John Foresman – Ridgewood, Ridgewood High School
Danielle Peck – West Milford, West Milford High School
Michael McPherson – Dumont, Bergen Catholic High School
Jack Lippin – Westwood, Bergen Catholic High School
Juwan Griffith-James – Bergenfield, Bergenfield High School
Matthew Vogel – Upper Saddle River, Northern Valley Regional High School

United States Naval Academy at Annapolis

Alexi Mendolia – Oakland, Immaculate Heart Academy
Matthew Vogel – Upper Saddle River, Northern Valley Regional High School
William Rick – Dumont, Bergen County Academies
Liam Kelly – New Milford, Bergen Catholic High School
Kaitlyn Powell – Montvale, Immaculate Heart Academy
Andrew Chung – Closter, Northern Valley Regional High School
Jammie Xie – Mahwah, Mahwah High School
Kevin Moran – Vernon, Vernon Township High School
Thilan Waharaka – Allendale, Northern Valley Regional High School
Michael Kalliotzis – Ramsey, Saddle River Day School

United States Air Force Academy at Colorado Springs

Harry Aquino – New Milford, Regis High School
Philip Federico – West Milford, West Milford High School
Mary Kate Kubler – Hackensack, Hackensack High School
John Schaffer – Ringwood, Lakeland Regional High School
Kevin Moran – Vernon, Vernon Township High School
Timothy Cooke – Old Tappan, Upper Saddle River, Northern Valley Regional High School 

United States Merchant Marine Academy at Kings Point

Joseph Sagan – Columbia, North Warren Regional High School
Steven Kelly – Newton, Newton High School
Paige Frankel – Hackensack, Immaculate Conception High School
Timothy Wolfangel – Franklin Lakes, Don Bosco Prep
Kathleen Blehl – Oradell, Immaculate Heart Academy
Nicholas Cariddi – Emerson, Emerson High School
Michael Guerci – Franklin Lakes, Fork Union Military Academy
Kyle Lackey – Newton, Kittitinny Regional High School
Liam Kelly – New Milford, Bergen Catholic High School
Philip Federico – West Milford, West Milford High School