3 students named to military academy appointments

A pair of recent Greensburg Salem High School graduates and a Penn-Trafford High School graduate are headed to U.S. service academies.

U.S. Sen. Pat Toomey, R-Lehigh Valley, announced their appointments Thursday. He said Penn-Trafford graduate Zachary Rocco and Greensburg Salem graduate Kiera Flanigan accepted appointments to the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, while Greensburg Salem graduate Chase Clemence accepted an appointment to the U.S. Air Force Academy at Colorado Springs.

Clemence, son of Gerald and Jennifer Clemence, was a member of the National Honor Society, student council and tennis team.

Flanigan, daughter of Peter and Christiann Flanigan, was a member of the National Honor Society, lacrosse and soccer teams and is a volunteer for the Carnegie Museum of Natural History Powdermill Nature Reserve.

Rocco, son of James and Monica Rocco, was a member of the National Honor Society, Science National Honor

Society, Active Minds and the basketball team.

“Nominating students to the service academies is one of the greatest honors of my office,” Toomey said. “These exceptional students underwent a very competitive nomination process and demonstrated that they possess the necessary qualities to be successful at our U.S. service academies. I wish Chase, Kiera, and Zachary the best with all of their future endeavors.”