Nine of the brightest seniors at Triangle high schools have been awarded the prestigious Morehead-Cain scholarship to attend the University of North Carolina at Chapel HIll.

The Morehead-Cain Foundation announced Friday the 70 students from the United States, Canada and Great Britain who will get scholarships covering all of their expenses for four years of undergraduate study at UNC-Chapel Hill. Winners were chosen for their "leadership, academic achievement, moral force of character and physical vigor."

The winners, among 1,655 high school students who applied or were nominated for the awards, have lengthy records of school service and volunteerism.

"You meet the other finalists and see they're some of the most amazing people," said Daniela de Lima Nogueira, a winner from Wakefield High School in North Raleigh. "I don't know how they can pick one over another."

Nogueira is co-editor of the student newspaper and president of the Amnesty International chapter. She hopes to get funding to spend a year working in orphanages in Uganda and Nepal.

Eva Archer of Chapel Hill High School is also president of her school's Amnesty International chapter. She also plays varsity volleyball, volunteers at a soup kitchen and serves as president of the school's chapter of the National Honor Society.

"I hope to show I'm worthy of this honor," said Archer, who will turn down an offer from Yale University to attend UNC-Chapel Hill.

Broughton High School in Raleigh had three Morehead-Cain winners. All three are members of the school's National Honor Society and service club and play varsity sports.

They also lead other students. For instance, Elizabeth McCain is volunteer coordinator for the schools's chapter of the Coalition for the Homeless, and William Clayton is treasurer of the school's Teenage Republicans.

The local winners are:

* Eva Jacqueline Archer, Chapel Hill High, daughter of Trevor and Janet Archer of Chapel Hill;

* William McElwee Clayton, Broughton High, son of Jack and Mary Clayton of Raleigh;

* Sarah Anne Core, South Johnston High, daughter of Ken and Carol Core of Four Oaks;

* Keith Michael Grose, N.C. School of Science and Mathematics, son of John and Velma Grose of Chapel Hill;

* Elizabeth Landon McCain, Broughton High, daughter of Paul and Beth McCain of Raleigh;

* Michael Altaf Mian, N.C. School of Science and Math, son of Khalid and Patricia Mian of Concord;

* Daniela de Lima Nogueira, Wakefield High, daughter of Geraldo and Monica Nogueira of Raleigh;

* Gregory Forest Randolph, Broughton High, son of Robert and Maryanne Randolph of Raleigh; and

* Natalie Shelayne Sutton, Durham Academy, daughter of Frank and Shelayne Sutton of Chapel Hill.

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