Platte County senior Maddie Klippenstein got some exciting news this past week when the phone rang.
Platte County senior Maddie Klippenstein is seeking an appointment to the U.S. Naval Academy.
On the other end of the phone was U.S. Congressman Sam Graves of Missouri calling to let Klippenstein know that he was nominating her to receive an appointment to the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Md. Klippenstein said she was at school when she got the call.
“It was so cool he did that personally,” Klippenstein said. “I felt ecstatic and so grateful to be supported by him in this process.”
Graves released a statement to the public saying, “I am deeply proud of these extraordinary young men and women who have stepped forward to serve our great nation”
“Each of them has excelled as a leader both in the classroom and in their communities,” Graves said. “I know all of them will go on to make north Missouri and our entire country proud at their respective service academies and beyond.”
Graves also sent a letter to Klippenstein highlighting that receiving the nomination puts her in a select group of students in Graves’ district. Graves said it’s still up to each individual academy to select students but the nomination does give Klippenstein a leg up.
“A principal nomination is the top nomination I can give and is a strong indication you are qualified for the Academy,” Graves said in the letter. “It should greatly increase your chances of acceptance.”
Klippenstein said the nomination process was intimidating and was done mostly through Zoom meeting.
“It was hard getting a sense of how I was doing during the interview but I’m really glad they decided to support me with a nomination,” Klippenstein said. “The application process is pretty lengthy and requires a lot of input from my teachers and coaches in the form of recommendations and assessments.”
Klippenstein said getting a nomination is a big step in completing the ultimate goal.
“Securing a nomination is a critical step when applying to a service Academy,” Klippenstein said. “I’ve always wanted to attend the Naval Academy in Annapolis. It’s a great place to learn and to prepare to serve.”
Graves said in the letter that Klippenstein should know in the next few months if she will receive an appointment.
“I have been working hard towards this goal, so hope to hear good news from the Naval Academy in the months to come,” Klippenstein said.