The recipients of the Morehead Scholarships are Robert Basinger and Derrick Preston from East Rowan and Melissa Lassiter from Salisbury High, which also had two Morehead winners in 1998.

The scholarship program, which draws the best students from throughout the state, provides a full education at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, as well as summer programs.

Basinger, son of Dale and Margaret Basinger, and Preston, son of Mike and Julie Lippard of Rockwell and David Preston of Chapel Hill, said they were shocked by Thursday’s announcement. Preston said many people deserved the award, but he’s excited at the thought of going to college for free.

Basinger also credited the many qualified students and said, “Reality hasn’t sunk in yet”.

Margaret Basinger is a guidance counselor at East Rowan, and Dale Basinger taught in the Rowan-Salisbury schools for 30 years before retiring. Basinger said it is an “unbelievable feeling” to be a guidance counselor at a school with two winners. And because one is her son, Thursday’s news was “more than I can stand,” she said.

Preston plans to major in political science and economics at UNC-Chapel Hill, while Basinger plans to major in English or journalism and mass communications.

Lassiter, daughter of Martha and Dr. Raymond Lassiter, said she was “extremely happy” when she found out she had won. She also spoke of the many qualified applicants and said she feels “really blessed by God” to have received this honor. Lassiter, whose mother is a teacher at Knox Middle School, is considering options at UNC-Chapel Hill, including international studies, pre-medical, religion or pre-law.

“We are thrilled and excited to have another Morehead winner from Salisbury High School,” said Principal Dr. Windsor Eagle. “Melissa is certainly most deserving of this honor and recognition.”

The award is given to high school students who embody the qualities that John Morehead intended when he began the foundation. He wanted to give other students the great education he received from the University of North Carolina. “I can think of no better way of extending its influence and increasing its prestige than by attracting youth of the character and ability that I have mentioned to become students there at,” he said.

The Morehead scholarship is worth $13,766 annually for North Carolina residents and $22,932 for out-of-state students.

As part of the award, students entering in the fall of 2000 will receive a laptop computer.