Three Lawrence students are among approximately 80 young Kansans nominated by U.S. Sens. Jerry Moran and Pat Roberts for admission to a United States Service Academy.

The two senators announced their nominees separately earlier this month. Joseph Michael Harms, a 2017 Lawrence High School graduate, has been nominated by Moran to the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado, while Jack Russell, a Lawrence resident and 2017 graduate of Blue Valley West High School, has been nominated by Moran to the U.S. Military Academy at West Point.

Charles Joseph Bermel, a senior at Free State High School, earned nominations from both Moran and Roberts for admission to the U.S. Air Force Academy.

Roberts’ nominations are based on the recommendations of the senator’s Academy Screening Board, as a nonpartisan board comprising seven volunteers from across Kansas. As part of the decision-making process, board members conduct personal interviews with the applicants in addition to a review of their written applications, grade-point averages and standardized test scores.

Moran’s Service Academy Selection Board considered more than 70 young Kansans interested in attending the country’s service academies, according to a news release from Moran’s office. After interviews at Abilene’s Dwight D. Eisenhower Presidential Library, the board made its formal recommendations to Moran.

The academies will ultimately decide which students receive an admission appointment in early 2018, Moran’s news release said. Those selected will enter the academies in summer 2018.