11 Graduating High School Seniors Named 2010 Arch Coal Scholars

ST. LOUIS, May 12 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ --Eleven graduating high school seniors have been named Arch Coal Scholars, the Arch Coal Foundation announced today.

The Arch Coal Scholars program is available to the children of employees of Arch Coal, Inc. and its subsidiaries and honors superior scholastic achievement. Each recipient receives an annual scholarship of $2,000 to apply to an accredited college or university for up to four years.

"For 21 years, outstanding high school seniors have been recognized as Arch Coal Scholars," said Steven F. Leer, Arch Coal chairman and chief executive officer. "The young men and women in this year's graduating class demonstrated leadership and high academic achievement in their schools. They are excellent representatives of a fine group of applicants."

Arch Coal Scholars are selected on the basis of academic record, potential to succeed, leadership and participation in school and community activities, honors, a statement of educational and career goals, work experience and an outside appraisal.

Rachael Hager, who will graduate from Lincoln County High School, Hamlin, W.Va., was named the Kendra Bradley Washburn Memorial Scholarship recipient and this year's top scholar. She plans to attend Marshall University, Huntington, W.Va., and to study biology. Hager ranks at the top of her high school graduating class, is a member of the National Honor Society, attended the Governor's Honors Academy, and was captain of her school's marching band color guard. She participated in the school's concert band and served on the track team. Hager also is active in church-sponsored youth and nursing-home ministries and serves as an assistant Bible school teacher.

"The Arch Coal Foundation's support of these scholars' college studies demonstrates our appreciation of educational excellence," Leer said. "We view our support of education as an important investment, not only for Arch Coal, but also for our communities and our nation."

Scholarship America, the country's largest private sector scholarship and educational support organization, administers all aspects of the scholarship competition, including the independent selection process.

Since the Arch Coal Scholars program began in 1989, the program has provided four-year scholarships to more than 200 new high school graduates. The foundation also supports educational excellence through its annual Arch Coal Teacher Achievement Awards program in West Virginia, Wyoming and Utah and through an innovative teaching grants program in Delta County, Colo.

St. Louis-based Arch Coal, Inc. (NYSE: ACI) is the nation's second largest coal producer. The company's core business is providing U.S. power generators with clean-burning, low-sulfur coal for electric generation. Through its national network of mines and 4,600-person workforce, Arch supplies the fuel for approximately 8 percent of the electricity generated in the United States. 

SOURCE Arch Coal, Inc.