Hilton Head Christian Academy (HHCA) is proud to announce that senior Chris Nguyen has been named a Heritage Classic Foundation Scholar for the 2024-2025 school year, one of the most prestigious academic honors in the Lowcountry. Chris is among 11 distinguished seniors selected from Beaufort and Jasper County high schools earning this recognition, which is based on exceptional academic achievements, commitment to community service, and leadership in and out of the classroom.

You are not just straight-A students. You are leaders in your schools, communities, and churches. Your interests vary from volunteerism to sports to caring for the environment.

- HCF Scholar Committee Chairman Scott Richardson

At the 2025 Heritage Classic Foundation Scholar Award luncheon, Chris was also honored as one of four students to receive a $20,000 Heritage Classic Foundation Scholarship, awarded in memory of the late Scholar Committee Chairman Mike Malanick. His selection underscores his outstanding credentials and dedication to both his education and service to others. The Heritage Classic Foundation has awarded more than $5.6 million in scholarships to 397 students since 1993.

💡 Extraordinary Academic Achievements 

His academic journey at HHCA has been nothing short of extraordinary. Chris has excelled in a rigorous curriculum of honors, dual enrollment, and Advanced Placement (AP) courses, earning the highest possible scores on all AP exams.

As a 2025 National Merit Finalist, Chris is among the top 1% of high school seniors nationwide. read more

His commitment to intellectual excellence is further demonstrated through prestigious awards such as the Harvard Book Award and seven College Scholar Awards.

💥 Transformational Real-World Learning Experiences

Prestigious internships at the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC) and Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) proved to be transformative learning experiences during Chris' high school journey.

Over the course of two internships at MUSC he contributed to groundbreaking research in bioengineering and medical data analysis. His work alongside a renowned team of research analysts led to co-authoring a paper published in the International Journal of Pediatric Otorhinolaryngology.

Chris also participated in an MIT coding program, where he helped develop AI technology for the food industry.

💙 Servant Hearted Leadership

Chris’s impact extends well beyond the classroom. He has given hundreds of hours of service to the Lowcountry community, earning the Mayor’s Volunteer Service Award for three consecutive years.

On campus, he has been a cornerstone of HHCA extracurricular programs:

• Founder of Debate Club
• VEX Robotics Program Leader
• Member: Model UN, Youth In Government, Academic World Quest, Chess Club
  . . . and more!

Chris is an outstanding young scholar with an impressive resume of extracurriculars that make him a remarkably well-rounded student. His commitment to excellence reflects HHCA’s mission to develop students who grow in Christ-centered confidence and worth, while becoming the problem-solvers, collaborators, and innovators God created them to be.

- Doug Langhals, HHCA Head of School 

✨ True Renaissance Student

An integral part of the HHCA Fine Arts program, Chris has performed in numerous concerts with the Eagles Jazz Band and Saxophone Quartet. He mentored aspiring musicians with HHCA Lessons Academy, and has participated in HHCA's award-winning theater program. As a dedicated HHCA Eagles athlete, Chris plays on HHCA's state-championship winning Varsity Boys Golf Team. He shares his passion for the sport through volunteer work at First Tee on Hilton Head Island.

A true Renaissance student, Chris is also a licensed pilot-in-training, a Screen Actors Guild Eligible actor with credits in a Netflix film, and the voice of over 75 children’s books. 
 

HHCA congratulates all of this year's Heritage Classic Foundation Scholars.