Christopher Garrabrant was chosen for his exemplary academic performance and dedication to service
Ocean City, NJ – Christopher Garrabrant, a senior at Ocean City High School, was named a 2025 National Honor Society Scholarship Finalist. Garrabrant was one of 25 students selected from thousands of applicants across the nation.
As a finalist, Garrabrant was awarded a $5,625 scholarship at the National Education Leadership Awards held in Washington, D.C., this April. At the event, four Pillar Award winners received an additional $5,000 and the national winner received a total of $25,000.
“The experience was great because I got to meet so many other people from all over the country,” said Garrabrant. “It was great hearing how different all of their lifestyles are but how we all have such a shared passion for helping those in need.”
The National Association of Secondary School Principals founded the National Honor Society in 1921 based on the four pillars of scholarship, service, leadership and character. The NASSP also established the National Junior Honor Society, the National Student Council and the National Elementary Honor Society.
Garrabrant was chosen as a finalist for being an exemplary student and for his dedication to service, volunteering more than 1,000 hours to support vulnerable populations. At age 9, he joined Post Crashers, a nonprofit organization that supports homeless veterans. During this time, he grew the membership to more than 900 youth, resulting in donations totaling more than 30,000 meals and 22,000 pounds of produce.
“Being awarded this scholarship has brought light to the impact I’ve made, which can be a form of encouragement that other students can also do what I’ve done,” said Garrabrant.
Garrabrant also founded Chris’s Coastal Crops, a program that educates underprivileged youth on gardening and healthy eating. The program transforms neglected spaces into vibrant community resources, too.
Garrabrant’s advice to other students, “Find what you’re passionate about and then figure out how you can intertwine community service into your passion,” he said. “That way you stay involved in it. You don’t just do it because you think you should. You do it because you like what you’re doing. I think that’s how you make the biggest impact. For me, I became really interested in agriculture, and Chris’s Coastal Crops is a way that I can do community service while also doing something I enjoy.”
As the OCHS National Honor Society chapter's junior officer, Garrabrant established “Stock the Shelves,” an effort to collect donations for food pantries. When he became the chapter’s president, he expanded “Stock the Shelves” to include multiple National Honor Society and National Junior Honor Society chapters, which donated thousands of food items.
Garrabrant is captain of the OCHS swim and lacrosse teams, vice president of Math Club, founder/president of Standardized Testing Club, officer in Class Council, founder/president of Grilling Club, and was Rookie of the Year for more than 60 rescues as a Beach Patrol lifeguard. He will attend Harvard University in the fall and plans to study electrical engineering. He hopes to serve his country as a naval officer.
“We are very proud of Chris’s latest achievement and of his extensive record of community service,” said Dr. Christian Angelillo, Superintendent of Schools. “His projects and generous dedication of time are a reminder of the importance of volunteer work. It is the district’s mission to provide a high-quality education to students who are driven to succeed in academics, extracurriculars and the community.”