The Central Carolinas Association of Phi Beta Kappa held a reception at the Ball Center of the Sandhills Community College Horticul-ture Gardens to honor the recent high school graduates of Moore County and Lee County, who won the 2009 scholarships offered by the PBK Association.

Since 2002, the Phi Beta Kappa Association has presented scholarships to students who excel in the liberal arts and sciences and in leadership roles. Scholarships have been given to students at Sandhills Community College and UNC Pembroke, and, in recent years, to high school seniors in the four Moore County high schools and the two Lee County high schools.

Selection of the winners is a two-step process.

The participating high schools select a graduating senior of high academic standing who is believed likely to excel in a liberal arts and sciences college curriculum and to make a significant contribution in a leadership role to their community and to society.

The 2009 selected seniors were Harry N. Barbee (Lee County), William Fondrie (Union Pines), Elizabeth Hart (The O'Neal School), Karli Heimbecker (South Lee), Eric Parziale (Pinecrest), and Casey Smith (North Moore).

The six students were interviewed by the Association's scholarship committee with the focus on two broad questions: the problems that the students believed would pose the greatest challenge to their generation; and as individuals, how they would be inclined to respond to these challenges.

"We were very favorably impressed with the knowledge, insight, and commitment of each of the six candidates. The interviews gave us confidence that the generation currently enrolling in college will have many fine leaders, who understand a wide range of major issues facing society and the world," said Michael Stratil, the scholarship co-chairman and president of the Association.

Union Pines High School graduate William Fondrie, who plans to major in biology at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, was selected as the winner of the $1,500 scholarship. The other nominees received smaller awards.

In addition to the scholarship awards, the PBK Association believes in recognizing the outstanding contribution of high school teachers by presenting excellence in teaching awards.

A ballot is distributed to the members of the senior class of the six participating high schools. Each student can write in the name of the teacher that the student feels has made the greatest contribution to his or her development as a person during the high school years. The contribution is not limited to the classroom, but may include coaching, advising, counseling, and school administration.

A representative of the Association presented a monetary award and a framed certificate to the teachers during the awards ceremonies at the high schools.

The 2009 teachers selected were: Beth Cadieu (North Moore), Lyn Cagle (The O'Neal School), Stuart Creighton (Lee County), Fran Gertz (Pinecrest), Robert Hobgood (Union Pines) and Robert Scott (South Lee).

The Central Carolinas Association comprises college alumni who were selected to join the Phi Beta Kappa Society in recognition of their scholastic excellence in the liberal arts and sciences during their undergraduate years. A PBK member has to demonstrate intellectual integrity, tolerance for other views and a broad range of academic interests. Only about 10 percent of the arts and sciences graduates of distinguished institutions of higher learning are selected for Phi Beta Kappa membership.

Phi Beta Kappa alumni may join one of the 60 PBK associations throughout the United States, which bring together Society members to foster friendship, lifelong learning and community service, such as raising money for scholarships.

Any Phi Beta Kappa residing in the counties of Cumberland, Lee, Hoke, Moore, Scotland and surrounding areas may join the Central Carolinas Association. Inquiries may be made to (919) 718-0993 or (910) 215-4574.