Three Stuart Hall School Students are National Merit Scholarship Finalists

and Gregory Ranzini is named a National Merit Scholar!

L to R: Charlie Eckman, Reed Woodrum, and Gregory Ranzini

On February 15, officials of National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC) announced the names of 15,000 Finalists in the 55th annual National Merit Scholarship Program. Three Stuart Hall students have been named Finalists: Charles Eckman, Gregory Ranzini, and Reed Woodrum. These academically talented high school seniors continued in the competition for some 8,200 National Merit Scholarships, worth more than $36 million, in the spring. Approximately half of the Finalists win a National Merit Scholarship, earning the Merit Scholar® title.

Gregory Ranzini was named a Merit Scholar in early May and he received a $2,500 scholarship. Gregory will attend The College of William and Mary.

Charlie Eckman will attend the University of Virginia and is a Rodman Scholar. Reed Woodrum will attend Princeton University.

To become a Finalist, these students had to be fully endorsed for Finalist standing and recommended for a National Merit Scholarship by their Head of School. They had to have a record of consistently very high academic performance in all of grades 9 through 12 and in any college course work taken. They were required to take the current SAT® by December 2009 and earn scores that confirmed their 2008 PSAT/NMSQT performance. Finally, they were required to write an essay about their extracurricular and leadership activities, and honors or awards received.

Head of School, Mark Eastham, stated, "We are tremendously pleased and excited that three Stuart Hall seniors have attained this Finalist status. Considering that only 15,000 students nationwide accomplish this feat, three from Stuart Hall is incredible!"

NMSC, a not-for-profit organization that operates without government assistance, was established in1955 specifically to conduct the annual National Merit Scholarship Program. Scholarships are underwritten by NMSC with its own funds and by approximately 500 business organizations and higher education institutions that share NMSC's goals of honoring the nation's scholastic champions and encouraging the pursuit of academic excellence.

Charles is the son of Mr. and Mrs. William Eckman of Waynesboro.

Gregory is the son of Dr. and Mrs. Joseph Ranzini of Waynesboro.

Reed is the son of Dr. and Mrs. George Woodrum of Staunton.