Comcast Awards $70,000 In Scholarships To 61 Virginia High School Seniors

RICHMOND, Va., May 13, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- The Comcast Foundation today announced the 2015 recipients of its annual Leaders and Achievers^® Scholarship Program awards in Virginia. The Program recognizes 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.

Comcast, joined by Secretary of the Commonwealth of Virginia Levar Stoney and school administrators, recognized the students at a special event held yesterday at the Virginia State Capitol.

"I am honored to celebrate these elite students," said Stoney. "It is wonderful to witness their dedication to education and community service, and the accomplishments that come when students challenge themselves to achieve excellence."

Sixty recipients of the 2015 Virginia Leaders and Achievers^® scholarships received $1,000. Raven Parham, a senior at Petersburg Public High School, was awarded a $10,000 Comcast Founders Scholarship – instituted in honor of Ralph J. Roberts, Founder and Chairman Emeritus of Comcast Corporation – for a total of $70,000 awarded this year to Virginia high school students.

"Our Leaders and Achievers Scholarship winners exemplify leadership and are committed to academic excellence and community service," added Thomas Coughlin, Senior Vice President of Comcast's Beltway Region. "We are honored to recognize their achievements, and excited to support them as they continue their educational journeys."

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

2015 Comcast Leaders and Achievers® Scholarship Recipients from Virginia

Albemarle County
Timothy Dodson of Western Albemarle High School

Alexandria
Beteal Kuflom of St. Stephen's & St. Agnes School

Arlington
Wendy Berrios of Wakefield High School

Augusta County
William Lambert of Riverheads High School in Staunton

Chesterfield County
Tyesn Barley of L.C. Bird High School
April Downs of Matoaca High School
Jordan Fox of Clover Hill High School in Midlothian
Andrea Garcia-Plata of Meadowbrook High School
Holly Love of Thomas Dale High School in Chester
Benjamin Millefolie of Manchester High School in Midlothian
Kiara Rogers of James River High School in Midlothian
Corey Sostre of Monacan High School
Dylan Whitesel of Midlothian High School in Midlothian

Colonial Heights
Ashleigh Rush of Colonial Heights High School

Danville
Danielle Jeffers of George Washington High School
Nakia Stephens of Galileo Magnet High School

Emporia
Kayla Maloney of Greensville County High School

Hanover County
Hannah Thompson of Hanover High School in Mechanicsville

Henrico County
Elijah Alston of Hermitage High School
Paul Coleman of Varina High School
Sheridan Fuller of Henrico High School
Elizabeth Pollard of Freeman High School
Veronica Stewart of Godwin High School

Loudoun County
Ethan Casserino of Loudoun Valley High School in Purcellville
Patrick Fields of Loudoun County High School in Leesburg
Madeline Helmstadter of Freedom High School in South Riding
Jonatan Membreno Mejia of Park View High School in Sterling
Sudeepti Surapaneni of Briar Woods High School in Ashburn
William Yancey of Broad Run High School in Ashburn

Lynchburg
Caeley McMillan of Brookville High School
Elizabeth Terry of Central Virginia Governor's School for Science and Technology

Madison County
LeAnn Jones of Madison County High School

Manassas
Lloyd Marshall of Osbourn Park High School

Manassas Park
Jalinne Gorenflo of Manassas Park High School

Martinsville
Ethan Haley of Martinsville High School

Montgomery County
Aditi Islam of Blacksburg High School in Blacksburg

Petersburg
Luke Butterworth of Appomattox Regional Governor's School
Raven Parham of Petersburg Public High School

Powhatan County
Samuel Ashby of Powhatan High School

Prince William County
Stephanie Hickman of Battlefield High School in Haymarket

Quantico Base
Destiny Oakley of Quantico High School

Richmond
Richard Bailey of St. Christopher's School
Jasmine Cousins of Richmond Community High School
Hayley Hassett of St. Gertrude High School
Reuben Johnson of Huguenot High School
Santa Leon-Vitervo of Thomas Jefferson High School
Mia Noel of Franklin Military Academy
Olivia Reid of St. Catherines School
Benjamin Wong of Maggie L. Walker Governor's School

Roanoke
Jonah Orevillo of William Flemming High School

Rockingham County
Stanley Bailey of East Rockingham High School in Elkton
Erin Cunningham of Turner Ashby High School in Bridgewater

Salem
Emily Rieflin of Salem High School

Spotsylvania County
Jordan Glisan of Chancellor High School in Fredericksburg
Dominic Nolasco of Massaponax High School in Fredericksburg

Stafford
Adelyne Anderson of Mountain View High School
Sean Evans of North Stafford High School

Warren County
Matthew Myers of Skyline High School in Front Royal

Waynesboro
Alexander Maneval of Waynesboro High School

Winchester
Laura Moss of James Wood High School
Ellen Volinsky of John Handley High School

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

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 $140 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.

SOURCE Comcast Cable