This Thursday through Sunday three local girls will be among 96 students hoping to win a 2006 Jefferson Scholarship and a full ride to the University of Virginia.

Katherine Ann Gould of Holy Cross Regional Catholic School, Caroline Wade of E.C. Glass High School, and Rebecca Beeson of Virginia Episcopal School have been selected as finalists in this year’s competition.

The Jefferson Scholars competition, established by the Jefferson Scholars Foundation, is merit-based and those who are selected have demonstrated excellence in leadership, scholarship and citizenship. More than 40 percent of the finalists are expected to be their class valedictorian or salutatorian. The National Merit Scholarship Corporation has recognized two-thirds of the finalists.

This year’s group features published students, a producer, a ropes course instructor, environmental activists, ballroom and Latin dance champions and the winner of a local iron chef competition.

The final selection process, which will take place over the course of four days, will include seminars led by University of Virginia faculty members, math and essay exams and interviews.

More than 800 students from several countries were initially considered for the scholarship and in the end about 40 finalists will be offered one. Over the course of four years a Virginian Jefferson Scholar receives about $66,000 and an out-of-state student receives $130,000. Students receive the full cost of tuition and fess, room and board, books and additional expenses.

This entry was posted on Tuesday, March 21st, 2006 at 7:39 pm and is filed under Scholarship. Tags: Scholarship, Student. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.