A Greenville teen has won a prestigious honor –

one earning him an all-expense paid trip to Washington, D.C. in late February 2005 as part of the U.S. Senate Youth Program. Even better, the young man will receive an open-ended college scholarship of $5,000 to fund his higher education at the college of his choice.

Carson Moseley, a senior at Fort Dale Academy, was notified this week of his selection as a finalist for the William Randolph Hearst Scholarship. Moseley, the son of Terry and Cherry Moseley of Greenville, is one of only two students in the state chosen to receive this award.

The nationwide youth program, created in 1962, brings high school students from across the country to Washington, D.C. for a brief on-site introduction to the functions of the federal government, and in particular, the United States Senate. Information and applications for the scholarship program are sent to principals, headmasters and counselors at public and private schools across the U.S.

The William Randolph Hearst Foundation made available the necessary funds and, each year, two high school juniors or seniors from each of the 50 states and the District of Columbia have participated in this unique experience.

&uot;I really feel honored,&uot; says Moseley, who applied for the program last year as a junior and made it to the semi-finals. &uot;It was great to try again this year and make it.&uot;

The FDA senior took a six-part test on facets of state and national government and wrote a 300-word essay on the essential features and conditions of democracy and how democracy arose in America and Great Britain, but not in Iraq.

Based on his performance on the exam and essay question, he was chosen as one of ten semi-finalists in the state.

Moseley and his fellow semi-finalists all went for an interview at The American Village in Montevallo in November.

The local teen obviously made quite an impression on the judges.

According to his notification letter, interviewers took note of &uot;the depth and understanding&uot; of state and national government displayed by Moseley.

He and a student at Florence High School, Jennifer Huddleston, were chosen as the two representatives from Alabama to receive the scholarship and the all-expense paid trip to the nation’s capital slated for Feb. 26 – March 5, 2005.

Moseley’s school is extremely proud of their student’s accomplishment.

&uot;This is a very prestigious honor and it’s going to a most deserving student. When you look at this from a state and national perspective, Carson has certainly achieved a top honor,&uot; said FDA Headmaster David Brantley, adding, &uot;Not only is he an exceptionally bright student, he is someone with a strong work ethic who is very mature and responsible.&uot;

When asked if he knew of any other past finalists for the Hearst scholarship from this area , Brantley responded, &uot;To the best of my knowledge, we have never had another student from this part of the state achieve finalist status. That’s one reason why we are so excited for Carson We are very, very proud of him.&uot;

Moseley, whose younger brother, Everett, is a student at Greenville Middle School, started a program this year tutoring children in the Greenville Housing Authority.

&uot;We started back in August and it’s been going ever since…we have students from both Fort Dale and Greenville High School who go on Tuesdays and tutor these kids. Afterwards, we have playtime with them and just try to be good role models for the children. It’s been a really good experience,&uot; Moseley says.

As president of the SGA, the FDA senior is very active in student government, and is involved in a number of organizations on campus, including the Drama Club, Beta Club and Senior National Honor Society. He also plays basketball, football and tennis at the school.

The busy teen admits he doesn’t have a lot of free time these days, but does enjoy going hunting when he has the chance, along with spending time with his youth group at First Baptist Church.

Carson is still exploring his options for college. &uot;I am not really sure where I want to go yet, I am still looking – but I know I am probably going to major in a science, either biology or chemistry.&uot;

He is looking forward to his Washington trip in 2005, during which he will have the opportunity to visit the Senate, the Supreme Court, the House of Representatives and the Pentagon, along with trips to various Smithsonian museums.

The Hearst Foundation will pay all Moseley’s expenses for the Washington Week, including meals, transportation and hotels.

&uot;It’s going to be a great experience, I think – and of course, my parents and I are very excited about the scholarship money, too. It will be a big help,&uot; said Moseley.

To learn more about the U.S. Senate Youth Program, visit their website at www.ussenateyouth.org.