Comcast Awards $160,000 in Scholarships to Pennsylvania High School Seniors

HARRISBURG, Pa., April 21 /PRNewswire/ -- The Comcast Foundation, founded in 1999 to provide charitable support to its local communities and to empower and enrich lives, is awarding 150 Pennsylvania high school seniors $1,000 scholarships through its annual Leaders and Achievers^® Scholarship Program.  The program, one of the Comcast Foundation's signature community investment programs, recognizes students' leadership skills, academic achievement and commitment to community service.

(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20100421/PH90509 )

Comcast Corporation Executive Vice President David Cohen was joined by Pennsylvania Secretary of Education Gerald Zahorchak and state legislators in recognizing the students at a special event held at the State Museum of Pennsylvania in Harrisburg Tuesday.

Comcast also awarded Jaileene Hernandez of Palmyra Area Senior High School and Victoria Lewis of Woodland Hills Senior High School additional $5,000 Comcast Founders Scholarships -- instituted in honor of Ralph J. Roberts, Founder and Chairman Emeritus of Comcast Corporation.  After a prize drawing, 10 students were also given personal notebook computers to use at college.  

"Recognition of student achievement is an important tool in motivating students of the Commonwealth to exceed expectations, and succeed both in the classroom and the community," Secretary Zahorchak said. "Encouraging students to be their best and give back makes Pennsylvania a brighter place. Comcast's program serves as a great model for other corporations and businesses to emulate."

The Comcast Leaders and Achievers Scholarship Program provides one-time, $1,000 scholarships to students who strive to achieve their potential, who are catalysts for positive change in their communities, who are involved in their schools, and who serve as models for their fellow students.  The philosophy behind the program is to give young people every opportunity to be prepared for the future, to engage youth in their communities, and to demonstrate the importance of civic involvement and its value to the business community.

Each year, Comcast works with high school principals, guidance counselors and school administrators to select the scholarship recipients. Since the program's inception there have been more than 13,300 scholarship winners totaling more than $13.4 million.

"Each year, we are excited to provide scholarships for these talented students," Cohen said. "Comcast seeks high school seniors who demonstrate leadership abilities in school activities and who reflect a strong commitment to community service. These students are our future leaders, and we are proud to support them with these scholarships as they embark on the next stage of their academic journey."

About the Comcast Foundation

The Comcast Foundation was founded by Comcast Corporation in June 1999 to provide charitable support to qualified non-profit organizations. The Foundation primarily invests in programs intended to have a positive, sustainable impact on their communities.  The Foundation's focus areas are expanding digital literacy, building tomorrow's leaders and promoting community service.  Since its inception, the Comcast Foundation has donated more than $77 million to organizations in the communities nationwide that Comcast serves. More information about the Foundation and its programs is available at www.comcast.com/inthecommunity.

About Comcast  

Comcast Corporation (Nasdaq: CMCSA, CMCSK) (www.comcast.com) is one of the nation's leading providers of entertainment, information and communication products and services. With 23.6 million cable customers, 15.9 million high-speed Internet customers, and 7.6 million Comcast Digital Voice customers, Comcast is principally involved in the development, management and operation of cable systems and in the delivery of programming content.

Comcast's Eastern Division serves approximately 5.7 million residential and business customers across Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia and Washington, DC. The Eastern Division is based in Oaks, Pennsylvania and employs more than 20,000 people.

2010 Comcast Leaders and Achievers® Scholarship Winners from Pennsylvania

(150 Pennsylvania high school seniors -- each student receives a $1,000 grant)

SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENTS: (by county and then by city where high school is located)

Adams

Fairfield - Ashley Moriarty of Fairfield Area High School

McSherrystown - Joshua Markle of Delone Catholic High School

York Springs - Cavet Leibensperger of Bermudian Springs High School

Allegheny

Bethel Park - Paula Valdisera of PA Learners Online Regional Cyber CS

Cheswick - Nnaemeka [Emeka] Okolo of Cheswick Christian Academy

Clairton - Donte Lewis of Clairton High School

Clairton - Zachary Virgin of Thomas Jefferson High School

Elizabeth - Thomas Chorba of Elizabeth Forward High School

Library - Katherine Schwab of South Park High School

McDonald - Kara Werkmeister of South Fayette High School

McKeesport - Amanda Bich of Serra Catholic High School

Moon Twp. - Jennifer Butschle of Moon Senior High School

Pittsburgh - Matthew Argento of Upper St. Clair High School

Pittsburgh - Emily Bobrzynski of Brentwood Junior-Senior High School

Pittsburgh - Caressa Domke of Plum Senior High School

Pittsburgh - Victoria Lewis of Woodland Hills Senior High School

Pittsburgh - Amy Miller of Carrick High School

Pittsburgh - Stacy Reader of Fox Chapel Area High School

Pittsburgh - James Silay of Northgate High School

Pittsburgh - Lequira Hutson of Pittsburgh CAPA 6-12

Russellton - Allison Gray of Deer Lakes High School

Springdale - Brianna Werries of Springdale High School

Sewickley - Marielle Hampe of Sewickley Academy School

Wexford - Tyler Robb of North Allegheny Senior High School

Armstrong

Rural Valley - Genevieve Devivo of West Shamokin High School

Spring Church - Krista Williams of Apollo Ridge Senior High School

Beaver

Aliquippa - Amy Kerlin of Hopewell Senior High School

Ambridge - Allison Martin of Ambridge Area High School

Baden -Briana Yaccich of Quigley Catholic School

Monaca - Courtney Martin of Monaca Junior-Senior High School

Berks

Hamburg - Michelle Waldron of Hamburg Area High School

Leesport - Benjamin Nicholas of Schuylkill Valley High School

Reading - Christopher Abreu of Muhlenberg High School

Reading - Lauren Kriebel of Central Catholic High School

Reading - Diamante White of Reading High School

Shillington - Jennifer Bush of Governor Mifflin Senior High School

West Lawn - Forest Crigler of Wilson Senior High School

Wyomissing - Lauren Wennell of Wyomissing Area Junior-Senior High School

Blair

Tyrone - Brice Barrett of Tyrone Area High School

Bucks

Bensalem - William Leifholtz of Bensalem Baptist

Doylestown - Anneliese Vetter of Central Bucks East High School

Holland - Victoria Ettorre of Villa Joseph Marie

Holland - Jonathan Rosenbaum of Council Rock South High School

Perkasie - Maggie Derstine of Pennridge High School

Plumsteadville - Jeremy Whalen of Plumstead Christian

Warminster - Liz Camacho of William Tennant High School

Warminster - Jacquelyn Ungarino of Archbishop Wood

Cambria

Ebensburg - Erica Jackson of Bishop Carroll High School

Chester

Coatesville - Candiss Brooks of Coatesville Area Senior High

Downingtown - Jennifer Teears of Downingtown Senior High West Campus

Kennett Square - Jesse Kober of Unionville High School

Kennett Square - Ariadna Pedroza of Kennett High School

Oxford - Amanda Cahill of Oxford Area High School

Phoenixville - Alexander Kray of Phoenixville Area High School

West Chester - John Bender of West Chester Bayard Rustin High School

West Chester - Jared Bohrer of B. Reed Henderson High School

West Chester - Emily Nacey of West Chester East High School

West Grove - Alycia Boggs of Avon Grove High School

Centre

Bellefonte - Kayla Schnars of Bellefonte Area High School

Clarion

Clarion - Skyler Ganoe of Clarion Area High School

Clinton

Mill Hall - Erin Schlesinger of Central Mountain High School

Renovo - Rebecca Grenell of Bucktail High School

Cumberland

Boiling Springs - Brendan Van Gorder of Boiling Springs High School

Camp Hill - Hannah Bingham of Camp Hill High School

Camp Hill - James Culp of Trinity High School

Carlisle - Chloe Strader of Carlisle Area High School

Mechanicsburg - Joseph Hines of Mechanicsburg Area Sr. High School

Newville - Samantha McCulloch of Big Spring High School

Shiremanstown - Anna Gaudio of Bible Baptist School

Wormleysburg - Sophie Stone of Harrisburg Academy

Dauphin

Elizabethville - Morgan Klinger of Upper Dauphin Area High School

Hershey - Michael Englund-Krieger of Hershey High School

Hummelstown - Chase Harmon of Lower Dauphin Senior High School

Millersburg - Briana Zeager of Millersburg Area High School

Steelton - Bradin Carter of Steelton-Highspire Junior-Senior High School

Delaware

Boothwyn - Melissa Barrow of Chichester High School

Glen Mills - Molly Cannon of Garnet Valley High School

Media - Lindsay Gaskins of Penncrest High School

Radnor - Rebecca Nussbaum of Radnor High School

Radnor - Scott Staffi of Archbishop Carroll High School

Franklin

Chambersburg - Sarah Moore of Chambersburg Area High School

Waynesboro - Josh Keilholtz of Waynesboro Senior High School

Willow Hill - Taylor Hockenberry of Fannett-Metal Senior High School

Greene

Waynesburg - Martin Brown of Waynesburg Central High School

Indiana

Blairsville - Victoria Stipcak of Blairsville Senior High School

Homer City - Danielle Clifford of Homer Center Junior-Senior High School

Jefferson

Punxsutawney - Emily Graffius of Punxsutawney High School

Lackawanna

Clarks Summit - Kody Pasqualichio of Abington Heights High School

Dunmore - Anna Chiumento of Holy Cross High School

Lancaster

Kinzers – Rachel Aleardi of Pequea Valley High School

Lancaster - Emily Thren of Manheim Township High School

Landisville - Carlie Wetzel of Hempfield Senior High School

Manheim - Robert Iosue of Manheim Central Senior High School

Millersville - Grant Elledge of Penn Manor High School

Mount Joy - Nicole Persun of Donegal High School

Quarryville - Andrew Ausel of Solanco High School

Lawrence

Bessemer - Olivia Kamicker of Mohawk High School

New Castle - Spenser Rapone of New Castle Senior High School

Lebanon

Annville - Bethany Fies of Annville-Cleona Secondary School

Lebanon - Tai Nguyen of Lebanon High School

Lebanon - Hannah Woodward of Lebanon Catholic High School

Myerstown - Megan Leppo of Elco High School

Palmyra- Jaileene Hernandez of Palmyra Area Senior High School

Luzerne

Jermyn - Leah Virbitsky of Lakeland Junior-Senior High School

Lycoming

Williamsport - Adam Bahr of St. John Neumann Regional Academy

Muncy - Chelsea Monroe of Muncy Junior-Senior High School

Montgomery

Abington - Alix Joy of Abington Senior High School

Jenkintown - Carolyn Smith of Jenkintown High School

Lansdale - Cassie Doheny of Lansdale Catholic High School

Pennsburg - Katelynn Ondek of Upper Perkiomen High School

Pottstown - Clayton Carr of Owen J. Roberts High School

Pottstown - Elizabeth Lester of Pottsgrove Senior High School

Royersford - Suzanne Johnson of Spring Ford High School

Philadelphia

Philadelphia - Persia Abdullah of Carver High School Eng. & Sci.

Philadelphia - Breanna Campbell of Motivation High School

Philadelphia - Tiffany Diaz of Community Academy of Philadelphia Charter School

Philadelphia - Regina Eife of Franklin Towne Charter High School

Philadelphia - Samantha Forgas of Philadelphia Academy Charter School

Philadelphia - Maurice Jackson of Freire Charter School

Philadelphia - Kelsey Konrad of St. Hubert High School

Philadelphia - Tha Kry of Multicultural Academy Charter School

Philadelphia - Jacky Lee of Roman Catholic High School

Philadelphia - Joseph Madsen of St. Joseph's Preparatory School

Philadelphia - Alexandra Maimone of Nazareth Academy High School

Philadelphia - Christina Pierandozzi of Ss. John Neumann and Maria Goretti High School

Philadelphia - Liana Taylor of West Philadelphia Catholic High School

Philadelphia - Christopher Weidner of Father Judge High School

Philadelphia - Danielle Williams of Masterman School

Schulykill

Minersville - Samantha Ebert of Minersville Area Junior-Senior High School

Schuylkill Haven - Tyler Rauenzahn of Blue Mountain High School

Somerset

Meyersdale - Beth Walker of Meyersdale High School

Rockwood - Mitchell Pletcher of Rockwood High School

Washington

Charleroi - Janice Camut of Charleroi Area High School

Houston - Julia Nicotra of Chartiers-Houston Junior -Senior High School

Monongahela - Madison Baxter of Ringgold High School

Washington - Jaclyn Wilson of Washington High School

Westmoreland

Derry - Johnathan Norris of Derry Area Senior High School

Greensburg - Paige Harrold-Smith of Greensburg-Salem High School

Greensburg - Jessica Miller of Hempfield Area High School

Jeannette - Chelsea Watson of Jeannette Senior High School

Lower Burrell - Natalie Gearhart of Burrell Senior High School

Monessen - Matthew Metzger of Monessen Middle & Senior High School

New Kensington - Martin Mandak of Valley High School

North Huntingdon - Cadeara Lindenfelser of Norwin Senior High School

Saltsburg - Christine Pascoe of Saltsburg Junior-Senior High School

Vandergrift - Lucy Montgomery of Kiski Area High School

York

Dallastown - Ashley Reeder of Dallastown Area Senior High School

Hanover - Brynn Seidenstricker of South Western Senior High School

Spring Grove - Corey Robert of Spring Grove Area Senior High School

Wrightsville - Kirsten Robinette of Eastern York High School

SOURCE Comcast