LUNCHEON TO HONOR STUDENTS 14 AREA YOUNG PEOPLE GET INTO MILITARY ACADEMIES.

Byline: Daily News

Fourteen high school seniors from the region have won appointments to military schools and will be honored June 10 at a luncheon hosted by U.S. Rep. Howard P. ``Buck'' McKeon, R-Santa Clarita.

The students, who live in McKeon's 25th District, have been appointed to the nation's service academies and preparatory schools.

``These young men and women have spent years excelling in their studies and extracurricular activities to gain admission to these fine institutions,'' McKeon said. ``Most admirably, they have demonstrated a love and commitment for our country which will lead them to rewarding careers as officers in the United States military.''

The students admitted to the Air Force Academy are Cameron Beckett, Canyon High School; Alexander Chung, Arcadia High; Matthew Ward, Quartz Hill High; and Brett Santana, Saugus High.

Accepted to the U.S. Military Academy are Christopher Ancheta, Antelope Valley High; Katrina Kamel, Lancaster High; Joseph Perez and Ryan Van Wie, Valencia High; and Jason Robbins, Lighthouse Christian Academy.

Those who earned appointments to the Naval Academy are Robert Doyle and Ryan Marko, Saugus High; Tyler Hawkins, Canyon High; Blake Moore, Hart High; and Stuart Murphy, Barstow High.

The appointees will meet for lunch at 11:30 June 10 in Santa Clarita City Hall, 23920 W. Valencia Blvd.

Each year, members of Congress submit nominations of students from their districts for admission to the nation's four service academies -- the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colo., the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, N.Y., the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Md., and the Merchant Marine Academy in Kings Point, N.Y. Students entering the service academies receive formal military training, bachelor's degrees and officers' commissions in one of the four branches of the military. The students receiving appointments will enter the academies this fall.