Eldon Zacek, III, a junior at Gray Stone Day School on Pfeiffer University’s Misenheimer campus, has been selected to attend the 2010 Governor’s School of North Carolina on the east campus. He is the son of Eldon J. Zacek, Jr. and Susan Kae Zacek of Concord, and was nominated in the area of Social Science.

Eldon’s activities at Gray Stone include membership in National Honor Society, junior marshal, freshman secretary of Student Council, sophomore vice president of Student Council, student body vice president, and captain of the Mock Trial Team. He has participated in Mock Trial for three years, earning six Best Witness awards and six Best Attorney awards; the Mock Trial team was national runner-up his freshman year, competed at states his sophomore year, is state champion this year, and is preparing for national Mock Trial competition in May in Philadelphia. Eldon has been Optimist Club Oratorical state champion, American Legion Oratorical regional champion, has earned academic awards in English I and II, and has been on honor roll all through high school. He was a page under NC Senator Basnight as a freshman and sophomore, and did internships with the District Attorney’s office in Albemarle his sophomore and junior years. He lettered two years in cross country and in track, was team captain for both sports, and is a member of the 2009 1A state championship cross country team.

North Carolina Governor’s School is a six-week program, which begins June 13, and is the oldest statewide summer residential program for academically and intellectually gifted high school students in the nation. Integrating academic disciplines, the arts, and unique courses, the curriculum focuses on the exploration of the most recent ideas and concepts in each discipline, and does not involve credit, tests, or grades. The faculty and staff at both campuses are selected from public school systems, private schools, colleges and universities, and private organizations. Traditionally funded by the General Assembly of North Carolina, recent economic conditions have resulted in the General Assembly reducing funding and imposing a tuition fee beginning with the 2010 Governor’s School. This year the program serves 625 students on two campuses. Governor’s School West is located at Salem College in Winston-Salem, and Governor’s School East is located at Meredith College in Raleigh. The program is administered by the State Board of Education and the Department of Public Instruction through the Exceptional Children Division. A Board of Governors, appointed by the State Board of Education, acts as an advisory body. Nominees must meet the criteria established for the N C Governor’s School.