Press Releases

Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (D-Maine) today made several U.S. Service Academy announcements and congratulated the Maine students she nominated on their acceptance. Max Kennedy of South Portland will attend the U.S. Military Academy at West Point in N.Y.; Cora Birknes of Yarmouth will attend the U.S. Naval Academy; and Colby Ting of Yarmouth and Benjamin van den Heuvel of Berwick will attend the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colo. Pingree nominated each of the students to the Academies in December. 

“Acceptance to a U.S. service academy is extremely competitive and reflects highly on a student’s scholarship, community service, and character,” said Pingree. “Max, Cora, Colby, and Benjamin have demonstrated an incredible commitment to serving our country and I’m proud that they have been accepted to the Naval, Air Force, and Military Academies. I wish them the very best in their time there.”

Clockwise from left: Benjamin van den Heuvel, Cora Birknes, Colby Ting (center), and Max Kennedy. Photos can be downloaded here.

“Serving in the Navy has been my dream since I was young,” Cora Birknes wrote in her letter requesting a nomination. “Unfortunately, a knee injury occurred last winter, which resulted in the Naval Academy requiring me to defer my acceptance. My injury has only cemented the fact in my mind that the Naval Academy is the right place for me as I know the Academy will truly push me to be the best version of myself.”

Pingree re-nominated Cora to the Academy in December following a knee injury that required her to defer her acceptance for a year. She enrolled at Williams College and a part of the Naval Academy’s Civilian Preparatory Program, while planning to attend Academy as a member of the class of 2028.

“I am forever grateful for the opportunities that America has provided for my family, and it is my responsibility to safeguard these life-changing opportunities for the next generation of Americans. Beginning with my great grandparents in WWII, there is an extensive family legacy of U.S. military service,” Yarmouth High School senior Colby Ting wrote in his letter requesting a nomination. “My grandparents, parents, aunts, and uncles served from the Vietnam era to the recent conflicts of Operations Iraqi and Enduring Freedom. These family members have instilled in me the importance of the military core values of duty, honor, and country. While attending the Air Force Academy, I will continue the legacy of honorable service while incorporating powerful life lessons and experiences.”

“Attending the Academy and being part of the military at the same time, offers an education that opens a worldwide opportunity from day one,” South Portland High School senior Max Kennedy wrote in his nomination request. “I want to earn that bond that all service members have. These bonds are not just based on learning and schoolwork. Rather, they are based on sacrifice, honor, duty, and commitment to something greater than yourself.”

“Going to a Military Academy has been my primary goal for the past three years. Having that goal has been hugely influential in my academic career,” Benjamin can den Heuvel, a Noble High School senior, wrote in his letter requesting a nomination. “I have a passion for knowledge, and in particular, the STEM field is what has my interest peaked. The academies are not only renowned for their STEM programs but also their overall curriculums that create the absolute best possible students and leaders.”

To be considered for an appointment to a service academy, applicants must be nominated by an authorized nominating source, which includes Members of Congress.

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