INGALLS SHIPBUILDING AWARDS NATIONAL MERIT SCHOLARSHIPS

PASCAGOULA, Miss., July 2, 2015 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Huntington Ingalls Industries' (NYSE:HII) Ingalls Shipbuilding division presented National Merit Scholarships to the children of five employees on Wednesday. The National Merit Scholars will each receive $2,000, renewable for up to four years as long as the scholarship criteria are met.

"For more than a half century, the National Merit Scholarship Corporation has been the leader in identifying scholastically talented young women and men and supporting their educational goals," said Ingalls Shipbuilding President Brian Cuccias. "Ingalls has been a part of this endeavor, partnering with the National Merit Scholarship organization for over a decade as part of our ongoing commitment and dedication to supporting higher education."

This year's scholarship winners are:

• Cameron Gruich, the son of Joseph and Wendy Gruich, was valedictorian at St. Martin High School, graduating with a GPA of 4.60 and a 34 on his ACT. He will attend Mississippi State University. Both parents work at Ingalls; his father is a security officer, and his mother is a benefits strategy manager.


• William Hagar, the son of Ed and Noele Hagar, was valedictorian at Baker High School in Mobile, Alabama, graduating with a GPA of 4.98 and a 35 on his ACT. He will attend the University of Alabama, where he also received the Presidential Scholarship and the College of Engineering Scholarship. His father is a compensation and benefits manager at Ingalls.


• Peter Kooienga, the son of John and Katrina Kooienga, graduated 15th out of 405 at Ocean Springs High School and received a 36 on the ACT. He was an International Baccalaureate student and captain of the school's National Ocean Sciences Bowl team, which won second place at the regional competition. He will attend Mississippi State University. His father is an engineering manager at Ingalls.


• James Stork Jr., the son of James and Laura Stork, was salutatorian at Bryant High School in Irvington, Alabama, graduating with a GPA of 4.73. He was also awarded the John Allen Thresh Scholarship, a private donor scholarship in Mobile. He will attend University of Alabama in Huntsville. His father is a shipfitter foreman at Ingalls.

Ingalls Shipbuilding presented National Merit Scholarships to four students on July 1, 2015. Pictured (left to right) are Edmond Hughes, Ingalls’ vice president, human resources and administration; James Stork Jr., Bryant High School; Cameron Gruich, St. Martin High School; William Hagar, Baker High School; Peter Kooienga, Ocean Springs High School; and Ingalls Shipbuilding President Brian Cuccias. Photo by Andrew Young/HII

The competition is conducted by the National Merit Scholarship Corporation, an independent, not-for-profit organization whose mission is to identify and honor exceptional high school students.