Comcast Awards $187,000 In Scholarships To 178 Pennsylvania High School Seniors

HARRISBURG, Pa., June 18, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- The Comcast Foundation, founded in 1999 to provide charitable support to its local communities and to empower and enrich lives, is awarding $187,000 in scholarships to 178 Pennsylvania high school seniors through its annual Leaders and Achievers Scholarship Program. One of the Comcast Foundation's signature community investment initiatives, the program recognizes students' leadership skills, academic achievement and commitment to community service.

Comcast, joined by Pennsylvania Governor Tom Corbett and other government officials, recognized the students at a special event held Tuesday at the State Museum of Pennsylvania. All of the 2014 Pennsylvania Leaders and Achievers recipients received $1,000 scholarships, except for Lexus Allen of Scitech High School in Harrisburg, 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 netbooks for use at college.

"Each of these students has demonstrated they are among the best and brightest that Pennsylvania has to offer," said Governor Corbett. "They are not only leaders academically, but have shown a commitment to their communities through their service and dedication. Susan and I commend them for their achievements, as well as the Comcast Foundation for offering this scholarship program to deserving students statewide."

The Comcast Leaders and Achievers Scholarship Program provides $1,000 scholarships to students who strive to achieve their potential, are catalysts for positive change in their communities, are involved in their schools, and 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 value placed on civic involvement by the business community.

This year, 52 percent of the Leaders & Achievers winners nationally come from diverse backgrounds, including 18 percent African American, 14 percent Hispanic, 12 percent Asian and 4.5 percent multiracial.  Since the inception of the Comcast Leaders and Achievers Program in 2000, more than $21.6 million in scholarships has been awarded to approximately 21,000 deserving students to use toward their pursuit of a higher education.

"Comcast recognizes the importance of fostering leadership and excellence in the next generation," said Jim Samaha, regional senior vice president for Comcast.  "These students are role models in their communities and at their schools. We commend them for their exceptional achievements, and wish them the very best in their future endeavors."

Connect with the scholarship winners on Facebook 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 non-profit organizations. The Foundation primarily invests in programs intended to have a positive, sustainable impact on their communities. The Foundation has three community investment priorities – promoting service, expanding digital literacy, and building tomorrow's leaders. Since its inception, the Comcast Foundation has donated more than $143 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.

2014 Comcast Leaders and Achievers® Scholarship Winners from Pennsylvania:
SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENTS (by County where the high school is located)

Adams
Rahel Assefa of New Oxford Senior High School
Sarah Hansen of Littlestown Senior High School
Rachel Hottle of Delone Catholic High School

Allegheny
Paige Baierl of Northgate High School
Jessica Clegg of North Hills High School
Anthony Donatelli of South Park High School
Nicholas Fisher of Woodland Hills High School
Stephanie Franciscus of Oakland Catholic High School
Melissa Gess of Penn Hills High School
Ilana Kisilinsky of Hillel Academy Pittsburgh
Nathan Lawyer of Cornell Senior High School
Margaret Ledrick of Chartiers Valley High School
Elizabeth Leonar of North Catholic High School
Shea Metzgar of Plum High School
Chance Pendley of Pittsburgh Creative and Performing Arts High School
Kirstyn Smith of City Charter High School
Emily Strohm of McKeesport High School

Armstrong
Douglas Hough of West Shamokin High School

Beaver
Ian Kilpatrick of Beaver Area High School
Brianna Lubic of Ambridge Area High School
Justin Meinert of Quigley Catholic High School
Kashmir Sainiak of Western Beaver High School
Lia Vinciguerra of Blackhawk High School
Dalashay Whitehead of Beaver County Christian School
Alexa Yanyanin of Freedom Area High School

Berks
Kaishla Gonzalez of Muhlenberg High School
Raechel Heil of Boyertown High School
Franklin Melendez of Reading High School
Charles Miller of Antietam High School
Angellyna Soto of I-LEAD Charter School
Stephanie Waldron of Hamburg Area High School
Molly Zinn of Wilson High School

Blair
Seth Umholtz of Tyrone Area High School

Bucks
Alliyah Allen of Solebury School
Thomas Brown of William Tennent High School
Daniel Connell of Holy Ghost Preparatory School
Sarah Fetter of Pennridge High School
Neha Gupta of Pennsbury High School
Joely House of Council Rock High School
Kathryn Justice of Central Bucks West High School
Kristina Lewis of Central Bucks East High School
Courtney Okwara of Neshaminy High School
Priyanka Padidam of Central Bucks South High School
Pooja Tilvawala of Bensalem High School

Cambria
Dawn Craft of Central Cambria High School

Centre
Savannah Weaver of Centre County Christian Academy

Chester
Paul Blanchard of Bishop Shanahan High School
Sarah Bockrath of West Chester Bayard-Rustin High School
Ann Donnelly of Octorara High School
Sarah Graff of Oxford Area High School
Daysy Martinez of Kennett High School
Brittany Maupin of B. Reed Henderson High School
Kathryn Mims of Unionville High School
Zachary Rondos of Downingtown High School
Avery Thompson of Coatesville Area High School

Clearfield
Amber Blake of Moshannon Valley High School

Cumberland
Emily Keating of Carlisle Area High School
Maria Kruegler of Boiling Springs High School
Kelsey McKillip of Big Spring High School
Seth Murphy-Sweet of Cumberland Valley High School
Jason Powery of East Pennsboro High School
Mitchell Raup of West Shore Christian Academy
Jacob Rehm of Mechanicsburg Area High School
Samantha Shank of Camp Hill High School
Ann-Catherine Stanton of Harrisburg Academy

Dauphin
Lexus Allen of Scitech High School
Maria Chroneos of Hershey High School
Collin Harris of Millersburg Area High School
Isaac Hawkins of Steelton-Highspire High School
Christina Martin of Central Dauphin High School
Brianna Rowe of Halifax Area High School
David Wilson of Central Dauphin East High School

Delaware
Odion Asikhia of Academy Park High School
Jaison Binns of Monsignor Bonner High School
MacKenzie Bonner of Notre Dame Academy
Ashley Ding of Marple Newtown High School
Tulsi Patel of Ridley High School
Athira Pillai of Springfield High School
Thomas Potter of Penncrest High School
Tina Rybak of Chichester High School

Fayette
Jacob Sweitzer of Belle Vernon Area High School

Franklin
Hannah Asbury of Chambersburg High School
Jonathan Baynum of Shippensburg High School
Quentin Clapper of Shalom Christian Academy
Benjamin Dennis of Waynesboro High School
Mandy Hart of Fannett-Metal High School
Morgan Nagy of James Buchanan High School
Ashley Rhoads of Green County Career & Technology Center

Indiana
Brendan Bertig of Indiana Area High School
Anna Harkleroad of Purchase Line High School
Steven Richards of Saltsburg High School

Lackawanna
Breann Boyarsky of Lakeland High School
Devon Carroll of North Pocono High School
Gabrielle Gregory of Holy Cross High School
Morgan Palmiter of Abington Heights High School

Lancaster
Danielle Brenneman of Solanco High School
Trey Campagna of Manheim Township High School
Mary Crouse of Dayspring Christian High School
Jennifer Eurich of Elizabethtown High School
Brandon Guo of Upper Dauphin Area High School
Danae Peters of Manheim Central High School
Corey Twaddell of Garden Spot High School

Lawrence
Holly Marshall of New Castle High School
Leila Zeigler of Laurel High School

Lebanon
Kristen Behrens of Lebanon Catholic High School
Brittany Clements of Annville-Cleona Secondary School
Emily Gilbert of Lebanon High School
Colin Gurt of Palmyra Area High School
Julia Reis of Northern Lebanon High School

Luzerne
Patrick Newhart of Dallas High School
Charles Poli of Pittston Area High School

Lycoming
Hannah Avery of Hughesville High School
Bethany Hipple of Montgomery High School
Alyssa Kriner of Montoursville High School
Mark Odorizzi of Loyalsock High School
Dylan Perry of Williamsport High School
Scott Rosenberg of South Williamsport High School
Tierney Shaible of Muncy High School

Montgomery
Leslie Adeoye of Upper Moreland High School
Danielle Cech of Lansdale Catholic High School
Daniel Elchediak of Lower Moreland Township High School
Jessica Haverkamp of Owen J. Roberts High School
Katie Scarlett Loughlin of Germantown Academy
Brendan Mooney of Plymouth-Whitemarsh High School
Nicholas Ozorowski of Norristown High School
Jacqueline Pascale of Spring Ford High School
Kourtney Walter of Jenkintown High School

Perry
Kara VanHorn of Newport High School

Philadelphia
Frehiwet Alfa of West Philadelphia Catholic High School
DeJon Bennett-Monroe of Sayre High School
Siani Bolling of Overbrook High School
Nicko Bryant of Martin Luther King High School
Tiyana-Erin Farmbry of Hallahan High School
Antoinette Gordy-Smith of Jules E. Mastbaum Area Vocational High School
Jasmine Hall of Walter B. Saul High School
Kristopher Hart of Mastery Charter School
Danielle Holmes of Strawberry Mansion High School
Patrice Ingram of Nueva Esperenza Academy Charter School
Sona Matthew of Central High School
Breyonna Neal of Lankenau High School
Maureen Rabbitt of Little Flower High School
Cole Redman of Franklin Towne Charter School
Naesha Reeves of Freiere Charter School
Angel Rios of International Christian High School
Teri Roberts of High School of the Future
Sharon Roy of Philadelphia High School for Girls
Demetria Saddler of Multicultural Academy Charter School
Facia Sirleaf of Delaware Valley Charter High School
Justin Torres of Boys' Latin of Philadelphia Charter School
Hydeia Trammell of Imhotep Institute Charter 
Daniel Tran of Motivation High School
Viviana Ullola of Community Academy of Philadelphia Charter School
Asia White of Parkway West High School
Aliyah Williams of ASPIRA Olney High School
Erica Zabala of Mercy Vocational High School

Schuylkill
Sage Garvey of Schuylkill Haven Area High School
Caren Moyer of Pottsville Area High School
Chelsea Moran of Minersville Area High School
Eric Zimmerman of Blue Mountain High School

Somerset
William Conn of Turkeyfoot High School
Gina Trulick of Berlin High School
Cassandra West of North Star High School

Washington
Olyvia Adkins of Washington High School
Josiah Hritsko of Canon-McMillan High School
Cassandra Lignelli of Ringgold High School

Westmoreland
Nicole Bruzda of Greensburg-Salem High School
Kevin Dudeck of Yough High School
Tyler Shash of Monessen High School
Lindsay Smith of Norwin High School

York
Lauren Beaver of Eastern York High School
Karina Ernst of Susquehannock High School
Daniel Mervine, Homeschool
Anna Podgorodnyaya of Northeastern High School
JoAnne Rubelmann of Kennard-Dale High School
Sreshtha Singh of Dallastown Area High School
Rebecca Sweeney of Red Land High School
Ariana Vazquez of New Hope Academy Charter School
Katelyn Witmer of Red Lion Area High School

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SOURCE Comcast Cable