Reagan High School Seniors Bence Burton and Grace Galyon are off to college this year, and they’ll be attending esteemed North Carolina universities on some of the most prestigious scholarships the state has to offer.
Burton is going to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill on the Morehead-Cain Scholarship, while Galyon is going to North Carolina State University on the Park Scholarship.
These are both competitive merit-based programs that provide chosen applicants with four years of fully funded higher education, as well as summer enrichment programs, professional development opportunities, participation in research projects and international conferences, access to a network of highly successful former members of the program, and more. Attending a UNC school on these scholarships offers students an exceptionally bright future.
Both the Park and the Morehead-Cain have notoriously demanding selection processes, generally whittling down around 3,000 applicants to just a few dozen winners each year. They prioritize scholars with a history of not only academic excellence, but also civic engagement, leadership roles, and a commitment to constant self-improvement.
Galyon has spent much of her time at Reagan in government and political science classes. She’s also a member of the Social Science Honor Society and has participated in Teen Court, which allows high school and college law students to legally represent juvenile first time offenders before they have to go to court. She’s served as captain of her basketball team since she was a sophomore.
Galyon says that the people and culture at Reagan have been an important part of her success. Her school has provided her with plenty of clubs, projects, and service opportunities that she feels have made her more well-rounded and prepared for any challenges her future might hold. Above all, she’s met lots of people who want to be a positive part of her journey.
“It’s a culmination of all the things I’ve done in high school,” Galyon said. “I’ve had some really great teachers who have pushed me, not just academically, but as a person, and they definitely helped guide me to the path that I’m on now.”
Burton has served as the student government’s treasurer, a state officer for Reagan’s internationally ranked DECA program, and a swimmer who won a state championship in the breaststroke for the school last year. A dedicated scholar who loves math, he’s thankful to the staff at Reagan who always believed in him and set him up for success, including by nominating him for the Morehead-Cain. He’s always felt supported by his school community in everything he hopes to achieve.
“Any teacher, any adult, any administrator that you go talk to is just so open and willing to help you,” Burton said. “I’m so grateful for all of the help and all of the advice I’ve had from so many different teachers who have impacted me along the way.”
Brent Atkinson, current assistant principal and incoming principal at Reagan, says that this is the first time staff know of that a student at the school has gotten either of the scholarships, much less both in the same graduating class. He feels it’s a tremendous honor for Galyon, Burton, and the school as a whole, and he’s pleased to see that all the hard work the pair have put in during their time at Reagan is being recognized at this level.
“Grace and Bence both completely bought into the culture of academic excellence we have worked to create at Reagan High School,” Atkinson said. “It could not have happened to two more deserving students; they will represent Reagan High School and WS/FCS well.”