By Nathan Duke
Seven northeast Queens high school students were recently accepted to attend two of the nation’s most prestigious military academies after being nominated by U.S. Rep. Gary Ackerman (D-Bayside).
The students chosen to attend New York’s Military Academy at West Point include Bayside’s Dong Meen Yoo and Eric Fan as well as Rachel Kim of Whitestone and Kevin Lee of Flushing. Three students will attend Maryland’s Naval Academy at Annapolis, including Danny Choi of Whitestone as well as Flushing’s Daniel Kim and Victoria Cannon.
“These young men and women are among the best and brightest in our community,” Ackerman said. “They are the future leaders of our military and I thank them for choosing to serve our great nation.”
The congressman nominated the students for the four-year posts and they were picked out of a national pool of nominees put forward by members of Congress. He also presented each student with a special congressional recognition for their acceptance to the academies.
Tae Heung Yoo, father of appointee Dong Meen Yoo, said he was proud of his son’s accomplishment.
“He likes to serve his country and now he is setting up his future,” he said of his son, who had attended Bayside’s JHS 74 and Bronx Science High School. “I’ll support whatever he chooses.”
Whitestone’s Kwang Kim, father of appointee Rachel Kim, said his daughter had long set her sights on attending a military academy. She attended Stuyvesant High School.
“She was aiming for West Point for a long time – since the early part of high school,” he said. “The military academy not only provides physical but spiritual, training. She’ll serve the country and improve her education as well. We are proud of her.”
The students left for the academies at the end of June.
Ackerman will sponsor an information forum on U.S. service academies this fall. The forum will include representatives from each of the nation’s five academies, including West Point, Annapolis, the U.S. Air Force Academy at Colorado Springs, the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy at Kings Point, N.Y. and the U.S. Coast Guard Academy at New London, Conn.
Reach reporter Nathan Duke by e-mail at nduke@cnglocal.com or by phone at 718-229-0300, Ext. 156.
