[Congressional Record Volume 164, Number 84 (Tuesday, May 22, 2018)]
[Senate]
[Pages S2829-S2830]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




               TRIBUTE TO UTAH'S SERVICE ACADEMY NOMINEES

 Mr. LEE. Madam President, I come before you today to recognize 
seven exemplary young men and women from the great State of Utah who 
have answered the call of service to our country. It is a great 
privilege to represent these exceptional Utahns in the U.S. Senate, who 
will attend the U.S. Air Force Academy, the U.S. Military Academy, and 
the U.S. Naval Academy.
  Each year Members of Congress, under title 10 of the U.S. Code, are 
authorized to nominate a number of young men and women from their 
district or State to attend the country's service academies. I am proud 
to honor these Utahns as they undertake this calling.
  Each of these students is of sound mind and body, which will serve 
them well in Colorado Springs, West Point, and Annapolis, but to 
succeed, they will need more than this.
  In addition to mental and physical aptitude, the journey upon which 
these young men and women will soon embark demands strong moral 
character: leadership, courage, honesty, prudence, and self-discipline. 
It calls for a commitment to service and love of country.
  These students have already displayed these qualities of character 
and standards of excellence upon which America's service academies are 
built. Today, I would like to recognize and congratulate these 
dedicated and generous young men and women.
  Delia Margene Cheney will be attending the Air Force Academy after 
graduating from the Utah Military Academy, where she served as 
commander of the largest Air Force JROTC program in the western United 
States. She was captain of both her school's academic team and 
volleyball team and served as a member of their State champion drill 
team. Delia was also a delegate to Girls State and served as an intern 
for two sessions of the Utah State Senate. She stayed active in her 
community through service with the National Honor Society, as well as 
her choir and church youth group.
  Daniel Scott Dwyer, from Bingham High School, accepted an appointment 
to the U.S. Naval Academy. Daniel serves in the Boy Scouts as a senior 
patrol leader and earned the rank of Eagle Scout with a project that 
entailed sending care packages to marines serving in the Middle East. 
He ran with both the Bingham Miners' track and cross-country teams and 
was a member of the JROTC. He also served his peers as a volunteer with 
special needs youth, all while taking rigorous classes and maintaining 
a high GPA.
  Talmage Cragun Gaisford will be attending the U.S. Military Academy. 
As a graduate of Orem High School, Talmage was a member of the National 
Honor Society and received high honor roll awards. He earned the rank 
of Eagle Scout in the Boy Scouts and served as a volunteer in Accra, 
Ghana, where he worked to build an orphanage. In addition to serving as 
a leader in his church's youth organization, he served on the Orem City 
Youth Council and is an avid mountain biker and hiker.
  Gage Geoffrey Maki attended the New Mexico Military Institute after 
graduating from Park City High School. He worked hard and earned an 
appointment to the U.S. Air Force Academy. Gage, whose parents are both 
graduates of the U.S. Air Force Academy, was a leader in both the Air 
Force JROTC and the Civil Air Patrol. He attended Boys State and earned 
the rank of Eagle Scout, where his ambitious project led to the 
replanting of hundreds of trees in an area devasted by a forest fire. 
Gage has trained as a skeleton athlete with the Junior Development USA 
Bobsled/Skeleton Team.
  Malachi Kay Ruf will be joining his brother at the Air Force Academy. 
Malachi graduated from North Summit High School and has been attending 
Utah Valley University. He served as drumline bass captain and the 
congress debate captain, as well as vice president of the debate team 
and the Leos. He was honored to attend Boys State and was a member of 
his school's State champion swim team. Malachi sought opportunities to 
serve others as a volunteer for Primary Children's Festival of Trees, 
collecting prescription glasses with the Lions Club, volunteering for 
local triathlons and races, and playing cello at church and community 
events.
  Tasia Stevens accepted an appointment to the U.S. Military Academy at 
West Point. She graduated from Murray High School where she was captain 
of both the soccer team and basketball team, where she was named MVP. A 
model student-athlete, Tasia maintained a 4.0 GPA while excelling in 
sports and volunteering hundreds of hours at the Loveland Living Planet 
Aquarium. She provided additional community service with the National 
Honor Society and was a member of high school German club.
  Sariah Kim Watchalotone will be attending the Air Force Academy. A 
graduate of West High School, Sariah was president of both the DECA and 
horticultural clubs and vice president of Panther Pals. She captained 
both her high school volleyball team and the High Country Volleyball 
National Team. Sariah volunteered with the Rescue Mission of Salt Lake 
City, Community Animal Welfare Society, and with University of Utah 
Health Care. Her grandfather, who served in the South Korean Army, has 
instilled in her a love of country, and inspired her to enter the 
military and live a life of service.
  It has been my distinct honor to speak to and nominate each of these 
admirable young men and women. These Utahns give me great hope for the 
future of our great Nation and the future of our Armed Services.
  To these seven students and to all their future classmates from 
around the country, I commend your achievements. I urge you to remember 
the foundation of your success thus far: hard work and sacrifice.
  Strive to continue on the path of strong moral character and to keep 
love of country as a guiding principle. If you stay this course, your 
future will hold great things in store. I wish you all the best as you 
embark on this journey.
  Thank you.

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