TUBA CITY, AZ. - Lok'a'a' Neez Coolie (formerly Shelden Phillips), age 18, a senior at Tuba City High School and son of Rose Coolie, earned a Naval Academy Preparatory School Scholarship in Newport, RI for the fall.

Coolie, of the Lok'a'a' Dine clan, has been one of the top 10 students at Tuba City High school since his freshman year. He is a full time member of National Honor Society and National Society of High School Scholars member.

Coolie plans to study mechanical engineering or mathematics once he gets to the naval academy and after that one year specialized program, he is planning to attend the four year US Naval Academy Program in Annapolis immediately after.

Coolie said he credits the accelerated programs offered at the school, the extremely supportive teaching staff, the Marine Corps Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps program and the Career Technical Education welding classes and Woody Begay for his academic and social success.

In his spare time, Coolie said he also enjoyed the rigorous basketball program, track and field and football.

Coolie will finish his senior year with an overall 4.0 grade point average.