COLUMBUS — Brooke Honaker, a Blanchester High School senior, has been nominated to attend the Air Force Academy, the Naval Academy, West Point, and the Merchant Marine Academy, US Rep. Steve Stivers (R-OH) announced.

Brooke is the daughter of Jeffrey and Kathryn Honaker.

“One of my highest honors in Congress is to nominate students who want to serve their country to the United States military academies,” Stivers said. “Brooke stood out among an outstanding group of students this year. I am confident that she will represent our region well and contribute to making our military stronger.”

BHS Principal Rick Hosler accompanied the Honakers to the service academy nomination reception event — which included several guest speakers from the military — held recently in Columbus. Only about two dozen Ohioans were recognized at the event, including Brooke.

Brooke is currently ranked first of 136 BHS senior students with a 4.0 grade point average and she is also taking courses at Southern State Community College, according to information provided by the Honakers.

She is drum major in the marching band and has been a musician in the marching band as well as pep band, a member of student council and the National Honor Society, a captain of the tennis team with 47 career wins, and a member of the Book Club, Art Club and International Club.

She has participated in the Marvin Lewis Community Fund golf outing, volunteers at Clinton Memorial Hospital and organized and hosted the Zombie Run 5K, and she has participated in many other charitable and school and community activities.

To receive a service academy nomination from Rep. Stivers, candidates must be unmarried residents of Ohio’s 15th Congressional District, United States citizens and between the ages of 17 and 23. In pursuit of a nomination, Brooke submitted an application and was interviewed by Stivers’ Military Academy Review Board. The board evaluates the students on the basis of academic performance, leadership ability, and community involvement.

Brooke was also nominated to service academies by Senators Rob Portman (R-OH) and Sherrod Brown (D-OH).

Stivers encourages qualified persons interested in pursuing a nomination to one of the United States Service Academies in the future to visit www.stivers.house.gov for more information, or contact his Lancaster Office at (740) 654-2654.