By Delaney Crawford
Chris Garrabrant, a senior at Ocean City High School, has been named one of just 25 national finalists for the prestigious National Honor Society (NHS) Scholarship — an honor awarded to only a select few out of more than 600 recipients nationwide. The recognition not only comes with a monetary scholarship award, but also a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to join other standout student leaders from across the country in Washington, D.C.
The NHS Scholarship Program, run by the National Honor Society, is one of the largest and most respected scholarship initiatives for high school seniors in the United States. Each year, 600 NHS members are awarded scholarships. Of those, 575 are selected as semifinalists, and just 25 become national finalists, such as Chris.
Garrabrant, who lives in Margate and serves as president of the Ocean City High School NHS chapter, learned about the opportunity through his chapter advisor. He had been familiar with the scholarship after his brother was named a semifinalist last year. When it came time to apply, Garrabrant said the process was similar to a college application, including listing activities, leadership roles, and submitting essays.
“I was super excited when I found out I received the scholarship,” he said. “Obviously the monetary aspect will help with college, but I also thought it would be a great opportunity to go to D.C., meet other decorated students, and be part of something bigger.”
A few weekends ago, Garrabrant joined the other 24 national finalists for an immersive leadership and networking event in Washington, D.C., where students from states as far as California, Texas, New Jersey, and even American Samoa gathered for a weekend of networking, service discussions, and personal development.
“It was really powerful to be around people with the same interest, students passionate about service, leadership, and helping others,” Garrabrant said.
Though receiving the scholarship is a major achievement, Garrabrant is quick to emphasize that he didn’t do any of it for the accolades.
“Receiving the scholarship means a lot. It recognizes the work I’ve done, but I would do the community service either way,” he said. “For me, it’s about trying to help others in need. If anything, this scholarship just pushes me to keep going and hopefully shows others that they can do the same. I’m not anything special — anyone can get involved and do what I do.”
At Ocean City High School, Garrabrant is deeply involved in both academics and extracurriculars. In addition to leading the NHS chapter, he’s vice president of the Math Club, a founding member and president of both the Standardized Testing Club and the Grilling Club, a class council officer, and a member of the Spanish National Honor Society and Spanish Club.
Next year, he’ll attend Harvard College, where he plans to major in either electrical or biomedical engineering with a minor in applied mathematics. He will also participate in the Navy ROTC program and plans to commission into the Navy after graduation.
When making his college decision, he says community service opportunities were a major factor.
“I wanted to make sure I’d be able to continue giving back in some way,” he said. “That was really important to me.”
His dedication to service was inspired in part by his older brother, now a student at Georgetown, whom he credits as a role model.
“My brother was super involved in community service and took a lot of the same classes,” Garrabrant said. “He helped guide me, and I followed in his footsteps while building my own path.”
His advice to other students looking to follow a similar journey is not to be afraid to do it.
“Don’t be afraid to get involved and follow your passions,” he said. “Find what you care about and look for ways to connect it to service. That’s how you’ll make the biggest impact.”
As for what’s next, Garrabrant says he’s excited for the journey ahead, both personally and through the Navy ROTC program.
“I want to continue helping others and keep growing as a person,” he said. “I’m looking forward to meeting new people, traveling, and learning. With the Navy, I know I’ll get to see a lot of the world and gain experiences that will shape who I become.”
