Trending
WHEELING -- Charles "Chaz" Frizzell, a senior at Wheeling Central Catholic High School, was announced Tuesday as one of just 12 students throughout West Virginia to earn a $2,500 scholarship from the National Merit Scholarship Corporation.
The 2,500 Merit Scholar designees were chosen from a talent pool of more than 15,000 finalists in the 2023 National Merit Scholarship Program. National Merit $2,500 Scholarship winners are the finalists in each state judged to have the strongest combination of accomplishments, skills, and potential for success in rigorous college studies.
The number of winners named in each state is proportional to the state's percentage of the nation's graduating seniors.
A committee of college admissions officers and high school counselors selected the recipients.
Criteria included academic record, including difficulty level of subjects studied and grades earned; scores from the Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test; contributions and leadership in school and community activities; an essay written by the Finalist; and a recommendation written by a high school official.
Frizzell, the son of Chuck and Christine Frizzell of Glen Dale is the valedictorian for CCHS' 2023 graduating class and will attend Notre Dame in the fall to study astrophysics. He is a member of the National Honor Society, Mu Alpha Theta Math Honor Society for which he serves as vice-president, Science National Honor Society, Rho Kappa Social Studies National Honor Society and the Math Tutor Board.
He also is a four-year letterman and co-captain of the cross country team, a four-year letterman and captain of the swim team and a captain and letter winner of the newly formed robotics team. Frizzell also serves as an altar server for both the Cathedral of St. Joseph and St. Francis Xavier Parish in Moundsville, is the president of the CCHS Teens for Life Club, a homeroom representative and a member of CCHS Campus Ministry. He's a four-year recipient of the OVAC Scholar-Athlete Award, the valedictorian of the CCHS Class of 2023, a winner of the Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston St. Sebastian Award, an Elks Student of the Month, a CCHS representative at West Virginia Mountaineer Boys' State, a recipient of the WVSSAC Sportsmanship Award and an AP Scholar Award winner.
National Merit finalists can earn scholarships through three avenues: the National Merit Scholarship Corporation, other corporate entities or through individual colleges and universities.
Corporate-sponsored scholarship winners were announced in April, and college-sponsored scholarship winners will be announced on June 7 and July 10.