Apollo Senior Kassi Hirt Accepted to Air Force Academy

The Owensboro, Kentucky high school student was admitted to the academy's class of 2031 after winning a national cadet award.

Updated on Nov. 9, 2026 in College Applications

Gouache-painted editorial illustration of a single folded military cap on a plain pedestal against a soft horizon, in warm earthy tones. — Apollo High School senior Kassi Hirt has been accepted to the U.S. Air Force Academy's class of 2031 after winning a national cadet award. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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Apollo High School senior Kassi Hirt has been accepted into the United States Air Force Academy. She is the first person from Owensboro, Kentucky to attend the academy, which admitted 1,100 students to its class of 2031 from more than 10,000 applicants.

Why it matters

Hirt's admission follows her win of the Air Force Sergeants Association National Cadet Noncommissioned Officer of the Year Award, a sign of the competitive selection process for military academies. Her path offers a reference point for Owensboro-area students considering service academies.

The Air Force Academy class of 2031 enrolled 1,100 students from more than 10,000 applicants, a selection rate near 11 percent. Hirt won the national award over roughly 33,000 competing cadets.

The players

Kassi Hirt

A senior at Apollo High School in Owensboro, Kentucky, who won a national cadet award and was accepted to the Air Force Academy.

United States Air Force Academy

The United States service academy in Colorado Springs, Colorado, which trains officers over a four-year program.

Air Force Sergeants Association

An association that sponsors the National Cadet Noncommissioned Officer of the Year Award presented to Civil Air Patrol cadets.

The details

Hirt won the Air Force Sergeants Association National Cadet Noncommissioned Officer of the Year Award at the Civil Air Patrol National Conference in Kansas City. She is the first person in the Tri-State to earn the award, and she will graduate from Apollo High School next May before reporting to the academy in Colorado Springs.

Earlier this year, Hirt won the national NCO of the Year award in Kansas City.
On November 9, 2026, her acceptance into the Air Force Academy was reported.
Next May, Hirt is scheduled to graduate from Apollo High School.
After graduation, she will report to the academy in Colorado Springs.

Season Trajectory

The Air Force Academy class of 2031 admitted 1,100 students from over 10,000 applicants, placing Hirt's acceptance within a highly selective annual cycle. Her entry marks a first for Owensboro, Kentucky among the academy's students.

Students in the Owensboro area considering service academies can see that selection involves national-level competition and a multi-year commitment after graduation. Families weighing this path should plan for the four-year academy term and the five-year service obligation that follows.

The takeaway

Hirt's path shows that a national cadet award can be a route to a service academy, which accepts a small share of its applicants each year. Students considering this route can start by building a record of leadership and competition early in high school.

What happens next

Hirt is scheduled to graduate from Apollo High School next May and then report to the academy in Colorado Springs. After a four-year academy term, she will serve a five-year commitment as a Second Lieutenant.