Comcast Awards $200,000 In Scholarships To 191 Pennsylvania High School Seniors

Comcast Leaders and Achievers® Scholarship Program Recognizes Pennsylvania Students for their Academic Achievement and Community Service

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May 13, 2015, 12:05 ET

HARRISBURG, Pa., May 13, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- The Comcast Foundation today announced the 2015 recipients of its annual Leaders and Achievers^®Scholarship Program awards.

Comcast honored 191 Pennsylvania high school seniors with Leaders & Achievers scholarships during a special event at the State Museum of Pennsylvania Tuesday. Among those present were (left to right): Jim Samaha, Comcast Senior Regional Vice President; Jonathan Merlo of Deer Lakes High School; Julia Le of Central Bucks High School; Michele Holland of Swenson Arts and Technology High School in Philadelphia, who was awarded a $10,000 Comcast Founder's Scholarship; Rebekah Kroll of ...

Comcast, joined by John Hanger, Secretary of Planning and Policy for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, and other government officials, recognized the students at a special event held Tuesday at the State Museum of Pennsylvania. All of the 2015 Pennsylvania Leaders and Achievers recipients received $1,000 scholarships, except for one student, Michele Holland of Swenson Arts and Technology High School in Philadelphia, who was awarded a $10,000 Comcast Founder's Scholarship – instituted in honor of Ralph J. Roberts, Founder and Chairman Emeritus of Comcast Corporation. After a prize drawing, 10 students also received Samsung Chromebooks for use at college.

"Governor Tom Wolf joins me in congratulating these gifted students for their outstanding achievements," said Hanger. "Ensuring a first-rate education is Gov. Wolf's top priority for Pennsylvania, and these young people exemplify what excellence in teaching and learning can mean for every student. We also commend the Comcast Foundation for its ongoing charitable support of programs like this scholarship."

The Comcast Leaders and Achievers® Scholarship Program provides $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 prepare for the future and to engage them in their communities. The program also demonstrates the importance of civic involvement, and the value placed on civic involvement by the business community.

"Leaders and Achievers Scholarship winners exemplify leadership and commitment to academic excellence and community service," said Jim Samaha, regional senior vice president for Comcast. "It is a privilege to recognize their achievements, and support them as they further their educations."

To date, Comcast has awarded more than $22.8 million to nearly 23,000 Leaders and Achievers Scholarship winners.

Connect with the scholarship winners at www.facebook.com/ComcastLeadersandAchievers. Explore and "like" Comcast in the community at www.facebook.com/WePowerDreams.

The Comcast Leaders and Achievers^® Scholarship Program is one of the many ways that Comcast gives back to the communities we serve. Click here to learn more.

About the Comcast Foundation
The Comcast Foundation was founded by Comcast Corporation in June 1999 to provide charitable support to qualified nonprofit organizations. The Foundation primarily invests in programs intended to have a positive, sustainable impact on their communities. The Foundation has three community investment priorities – expanding digital literacy, promoting community service and building tomorrow's leaders. Since its inception, the Comcast Foundation has donated nearly $162 million to organizations in the communities nationwide that Comcast serves. More information about the Foundation and its programs is available at www.comcast.com/community.

2015 Comcast Leaders and Achievers® Scholarship Winners from Pennsylvania: SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENTS (by County where the high school is located)

Adams
Valerie Bell of Fairfield Area High School
Kelsi Knarr of Biglersville High School
Owen Long of New Oxford Senior High School
Kyle Miller of Delone Catholic High School
Heather Segessenman of Littlestown Senior High School

Allegheny
Michael Aronckes of Woodland Hills High School
Ryan Balog of North Hills High School
Clarence Branch of Pittsburgh Creative and Performing Arts High School
Joseph Clapper of Fox Chapel Area High School
Raenika Crew of Allderdice High School
Taylor Enault of West Allegheny Senior High School
Erin Gilboy of Saint Joseph High School
Taylor Gillcrese of Westinghouse High School
Nicolas Karafilis of South Fayette High School
Mitchell Keller of Lakeview Christian Academy
Addison Lindberg of Thomas Jefferson High School
Sydney Luther of Brentwood Middle High School
Eliza Luxbacher of Upper St. Clair High School
Jonathan Merlo of Deer Lakes High School
Daniel Nimchinsky of Hillel Academy, Pittsburgh
Jessica Packard of Northgate High School
Dina Perlic of Penn Hills High School
Samantha Scherrer of Baldwin High School
Adrieanna Sciarrino of Cornell Senior High School
Stephen Smith, Home School
Zamira Thornton of Sto-Rox High School
Tianna Wallick of Quaker Valley Senior High School
Victoria Whitney of Serra Catholic High School
Jacquelyn Willis of Cheswick Christian Academy
Catherine Zhang of North Allegheny High School

Armstrong
Leah Baum of West Shamokin High School

Beaver
George Avdellas of Beaver Area High School
Tanee Booker of New Brighton High School
Alina Chemini of Beaver Falls High School
Amanda Clear of Beaver County Christian School
Lauren Detrick of Ambridge Area High School
Melissa Halstead of South Side High School
Amanda Herzog of Freedom Area High School
Frank Riggio of Blackhawk High School
Montana Shugars of Lincoln Park Performing Arts Charter School

Bedford
Katie Samuel of Everett High School

Berks
Meghan Motze of Antietam High School
Heather Natale of Muhlenberg High School
Ian Roth of Wilson High School
Kristen Wade of Hamburg Area High School
Essence Williams of Reading High School

Bucks
Devin Barricklow of Pennsbury High School
Jairon Chaves Campos of Morrisville High School
Abigail Cohen of William Tennant High School
Julia Le of Central Bucks High School
Mary Lyons of Archbishop Wood High School
Sarah Malik of Pennridge High School
Christina Tentilucci of Council Rock High School

Centre
Morgan Taylor of Bellefonte High School

Chester
Jason D'Antonio of Oxford Area High School
Sarah Jurasinski of Octorara High School
Adam McCarron of Downingtown Senior High School
Kyle Pettine of West Chester Bayard Rustin High School
Robin Zhang of Great Valley High School

Clearfield
Samantha Matchock of Moshannon Valley High School
Robert Zilhaver of DuBois High School

Cumberland
Hunter Artz of Camp Hill High School
Bridget Bowman of Cumberland Valley High School
Jordyn Donnelly of Big Spring High School
Joshua Getz of Harrisburg Academy
Helene Tiley of Boiling Springs High School
Elizabeth Tonkin of Bible Baptist School

Dauphin
Gasser Abouseif of Central Dauphin East High School
Autumn Capouillze of Halifax Area High School
Parker Forman of Central Dauphin High School
Hunter Kauffman of Upper Dauphin Area High School
Travis Kisler of Steelton-Highspire High School
Katelin Morrison of Millersburg Area High School
Emmalee Reese of Lower Dauphin High School
Taylor Shoun of Bishop McDevitt High School

Delaware
Oluwasanmi Ariyo of Academy Park High School
Kyle D'Angelo of Cardinal O'Hara High School
Kelsey Glancy of Notre Dame Academy
Nikhila Viswanathan of Upper Darby High School
Angel Wu of Marple Newtown High School

Franklin
Nicholas Bigham of Shippensburg High School
Patrick Doyle of Chambersburg Area High School
Emily LaPole of Waynesboro Senior High School
Brook Poe of Shalom Christian Academy
Colby Sites of James Buchanan Senior High School

Fulton
Brittany Parson of McConnellsburg High School

Greene
Matthew Desrosiers of Waynesburg Central High School

Indiana
Lydia Bougher of Penns Manor Area High School
Nikunj Sharda of Indiana Area High School

Jefferson
Elissa Hill of Punxsutawney High School

Lackawanna
Meaghan O'Connor of North Pocono High School
Joshua Strong of Lakeland High School

Lancaster
Brianna Beiler of Manheim Central High School
Sara Capoferri of Solanco High School
Victoria Fisher of Penn Manor High School
Muzahidul Islam of Elizabethtown Area High School
Rebekah Kroll of Dayspring Christian High School

Lawrence
Christa Bupp of Shenango High School
Katie Callahan of Mohawk High School
Tayler Grybowski of Neshannock High School
Leighann Johnston of New Castle High School
Austin McClelland of Laurel High School

Lebanon
Lheandrew Canete of Cedar Crest High School
Lida Lech of Annville-Cleona Secondary
Monica Pastal of Lebanon Catholic High School
Hannah Reese of Northern Lebanon High School

Luzerne
Alexis Oplinger of Lake-Lehman High School

Lycoming
Carter Alexander of South Williamsport High School
Angela Cardillo of Loyalsock High School
Marissa Folk of Montoursville High School
Maggie Rymsza of Muncy Junior Senior High School
Billie Strickler of St. John Neumann Regional High School
Makenzie Woltz of Montgomery Junior-Senior High School

Montgomery
Julia Abriola of Jenkintown High School
Anessa Amin of Hill School
Jonathan Giorgi of Perkiomen Valley High School
Kaela Griswold of Germantown Academy School
Katharine McVeagh of Springfield High School
Michael Melendez of Wyncote Academy
Alexa Miley of Owen J. Roberts High School
Kylie Shore Christopher Dock High School
Sterling Williams of Norristown Area High School
Jay Zhou of Upper Dublin High School

Philadelphia
Cristy Almonte of Mariana Bracetti Academy
Zahir Anderson of A. Phillip Randolph Career Academy
David Bartholomew of Roman Catholic High School
Betzaida Berrios of Frankline Towne Charter High School
Elizabeth Braun of Friends Select School
Yai'nai Burke of Mastery Charter School
Anand Butler of Germantown Friends School
Cindy Chau of Julia R. Masterman Laboratory
Brianna Clarke of Simon Gratz High School
Christopher Daniels of West Philadelphia Catholic High School
Kelly D'Oleo of Community Academy of Philadelphia
Tiara Dowling of High School of the Future
Makeda Edwards of George Washington Carver High School
Rahbiah Freeman of Jules E. Mastbaum Area Vocational High School
Emily Hancin of Archbishop Ryan High School
Alanis Hickman of Lankenau Environmental Science High School
Michele Holland of Swenson Arts and Technology High School
Jessica Ilogho of International Christian High School
Byron Jenkins of Delaware Valley Charter High School
Zakiyyah Johnson of Multicultural Academy Charter School
Teasha Johnson of Multicultural Academy Charter School
Abu Kanu of Benjamin Franklin High School
Thomas Laws of Parkway Northwest High School
Timothy Martin of Imhotep Institute Charter School
Tyler McColley of Boys Latin of Philadelphia Charter School
Geniya Merriweather of Philadelphia Electrical and Technology High School
Kwame Mills-Wilson of Widener Memorial School
Sunny Morgan of Constitution High School
Tessy Philip of MaST Community Charter School
Safphyre Robert-Dollison of Freire Charter School
Jason Rodriguez of Edison/Fareira High School
Nahje Royster of Roxborough High School
Anthony Rynkiewicz of Frankford High School
Van Sam of Academy at Palumbo
Khadidrah Simmons of Parkway West High School
Erykah Sims of Mercy Vocational High School
Cymone Smith of Motivation High School
Yalonda Soun of Furness High School
Natasha Stuckey of W.B. Saul High School for Agriculture
Jamie Tomlinson of Saint Hubert Catholic High School for Girls
Amber Tucker of Parkway Center City High School
Gregory Van Buskirk of Father Judge High School
Karli Visconto of Nazareth Academy High School

Schuylkill
Gino DiNicola of Nativity B.V.M. High School
Ethan Garvey of Schuylkill Haven Area High School
Thomas Moran of Minersville Area Junior-Senior High School
Tien Phung of Blue Mountain High School
Jacquelyn Shoener of Pottsville Area High School

Sullivan
Emily McMahon of Sullivan County High School

Washington
Evan Alrutz of Fort Cherry High School
Cassandra Clayton of Chartiers-Houston High School
Forrest Cullings of Trinity Senior High School
Taylor Ellis of Washington High School
Mackenzie Klutch of Canon-McMillan High School
Abby Moffit of Charleroi Area High School

Westmoreland
Laura Buchanan of Norwin Senior High School
Devon Christeleit of Greensburg-Salem High School
Hannah Loy of Hempfield Area High School
Nathan Mattis of Ligonier Valley High School
Zachary Picciarelli of Monessen High School
Brandon Shawl of Yough Senior High School

York
William Bachman of South Western High School
Kaitlin Bompiani of Eastern York High School
Matthew Nace of Dallastown Area High School
Rachel Orndorf of Northeastern High School
Kayla Pringle of Susquehanna High School
Zachary Snier of Kennard-Dale High School
Alysha Sweitzer of Dover Area High School