Little feat: ASB president nominated for Naval Academy
Manteca High senior Kaiyah Little poses with state representative Josh Harder following a dinner ceremony on Jan. 19. Little was awarded a congressional nomination by Harder for the U.S. Naval Academy.
By RONNIE FUENTES
The Tower
Manteca High School senior Kaiyah Little was awarded a congressional nomination by state representative Josh Harder during a dinner ceremony on Jan. 19 at the Manteca Legion Center hosted by the veterans of Manteca.
The nomination has been awarded to 10 people in the 9th congressional district, which spans the Sacamento and San Joaquin Valley and the Gold Country (foothills). To earn this nomination, one must have leadership skills, a strong work ethic, and a vision for their success.
“To receive a nomination to a military academy is a great honor,” said Manteca High counselor Janeen George. “Students who receive a congressional nomination are uniquely talented students who have demonstrated great leadership and academic achievement. The process is long and involved with only a few students receiving the nomination. Kaiyah Little is a very deserving young leader.”
A nomination shows that a student’s federal representative believes that they would make an excellent military officer. This is an opportunity to be considered to go to one of the four service academies that require a nomination.
“Students who receive a congressional nomination are uniquely talented students who have demonstrated great leadership and academic achievement. ”
Little has applied to the U.S. Naval Academy.
“A nomination means that an individual’s representative believes that they have the academic, physical, and service background that would make them an outstanding officer in the U.S. Military. Each federal office has their own requirements to receive a nomination from them, but the basic process is usually the same,” said Andrew Mamo, communications director for congressman Harder. “When looking for a potential applicant to nominate, representatives consider the whole person in their evaluation. The committee and the Congressman take into consideration a student’s academic achievements, extracurricular activities leadership skills, physical aptitude, character, and motivation for applying to be an officer. Representatives are looking for applicants that show outstanding leadership skills and a dedication to service.”
Working for something as important as a congressional nomination isn’t something simple, Little said. She’s been working toward this moment since she transferred from Virginia Beach to Manteca High School as a freshman. She has found ways to set herself apart from her peers, whether it was playing football as a female, participating in Leadership, working as an EMT assistant, and becoming the student body president as a senior.
Little maintains Honor Roll status and currently boasts a 3.6 GPA.
Kaiyah Little was awarded a congressional recognition and nomination for the U.S. Naval Academy during a ceremony on Jan. 19.
“The nomination means a lot to me because these past four years of high school have not been easy for me. ... I have gone through a lot," she said. "I am proud of myself because I was determined for three years to go through a process this long. It is very important for me because through all the hard work and all the tears and crying and sadness, I was able to accomplish it.”
When nominating candidates to receive the congressional nomination, Harder and his team choose students who have proven what it takes to be a good military leader. Nominees must have the academic potential to prove they can serve their country with intelligence, discipline and leadership skills.
“The idea is to find students that have the academic qualifications to meet rigorous case load and the skills to be a good military leader,” Mamo said.
Having a background as well-rounded as Little’s made her a viable candidate. These past years for Little haven’t been the easiest but she has been determined to reach her first goal. She attended a summer seminar at the U.S. Naval Academy prior to her junior year. That trip confirmed her desire to become an officer in the Navy.
“The congressman and his nomination committee were very impressed with all the students that applied for a nomination this year. They were particularly impressed with Kaiyah’s poise and determination to reach her goals,” said Mamo, “They were also excited by her experiences on the freshman football team and as an EMT assistant for Delta Speedway. Through her application and from meeting Kaiyah she has a service mindset and a love of those in her community.”