Comcast Awards $66,000 in Scholarships to Virginia High School Seniors

Comcast Awards $66,000 in Scholarships to Virginia High School Seniors

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

RICHMOND, Va., May 14 /PRNewswire/ -- The Comcast Foundation, founded in 1999 to provide charitable support to its local communities and to empower and enrich lives, is awarding $1,000 scholarships to 56 Virginia high school seniors 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/20100514/PH05154 )

Fred Graffam, regional senior vice president for Comcast, was joined by Virginia Secretary of Education Gerard Robinson in recognizing the students at a special event held at the Executive Mansion in Richmond on Thursday. First Lady of Virginia Maureen McDonnell also attended to welcome the students and their families.

Comcast also awarded Kassandra Hoffmeister of William Monroe High School in Stanardsville and Sigourney Bailey of Open High School in Richmond additional $5,000 Comcast Founder's Scholarships, instituted in honor of Ralph J. Roberts, Founder and Chairman Emeritus of Comcast Corporation. After a prize drawing, 10 students were also given a Netbook computer.

"I am proud to help Comcast honor these bright young students for their academic and civic leadership," said First Lady McDonnell. "Through this scholarship program, Comcast is making a sound investment in the state of Virginia and its future leaders."

"The Commonwealth of Virginia is committed to ensuring students of all backgrounds are provided quality educational options and opportunities to reach their full potential," said Secretary Robinson. "We applaud Comcast for its commitment to education and for supporting students across our state as they embark upon the next phase of their academic journeys."

"Comcast is dedicated to promoting youth leadership development in our local communities," said Graffam. "We are proud to recognize these students for their outstanding achievements and we wish them all the best for the future."

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.

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 (www.comcast.com) is one of the nation's leading providers of entertainment, information and communication products and services. With 23.5 million cable customers, 16.3 million high-speed Internet customers, and 7.9 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, D.C. The Eastern Division is based in Oaks, Pennsylvania and employs more than 20,000 people.

2010 Comcast Leaders and Achievers(R) Scholarship Winners from Virginia
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(56 Virginia high school seniors - each student receives a $1,000 grant)
SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENTS (by County or Independent City where high school is
located):
Arlington
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JENNIFER PAULDURAI of Wakefield High School

Augusta
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LAURA REEVES of Buffalo Gap High School in Swoope
EMBERLI MCGANN of Stuarts Draft High School in Stuarts Draft

Bedford
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ELIZABETH MACKEY of Liberty High School

Campbell
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JASMINE WALLER of AltaVista Combined School in Altavista

Charlottesville
---------------
JAE LEE of Albemarle High School

Chesterfield
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BENJAMIN HOLLAND of Holland Home School in Chesterfield
STEWART BALL CHESTER of L.C. Bird High School in Chesterfield
JEYSEL GARCIA of Chesterfield Community High School in Chesterfield
DONTAE THORNE of Matoaca High School in Chesterfield
STACEY LARIVIERE of Midlothian High School
BRITTANY MATTHEWS of Manchester High School in Midlothian
JESSICA WERT of James River High School in Midlothian

Colonial Heights
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KELSEY BARNES of Colonial Heights High School

Culpeper
--------
CARLEY JONES of Culpeper County High School

Danville
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MEDARDO AYALA of George Washington High School

Dinwiddie
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KARA NUNNALLY of Dinwiddie High School

Emporia
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ALEXIS ASTROP of Greensville County High School

Fluvanna
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LYNELLE DOUMA of Fluvanna County High School in Palmyra

Frederick
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FARIHA KABIR of Sherando High School in Stephens City

Greene
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KASSANDRA HOFFMEISTER of William Monroe High School in Stanardsville

Hanover
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AMANDA VIK of Patrick Henry High School in Ashland
ZOE ALTHOLZ of Atlee High School in Mechanicsville

Henrico
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NICOLE MEYER of Deep Run High School in Glen Allen
JASMINE SMITH of Highland Springs High School

Loudoun
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MORGAN HALL of Briar Woods in Ashburn
ELISE RIVERA of Loudoun County High School in Leesburg
ALAA ALHUSSEIN of Dominion High School in Sterling

Lynchburg
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HELEN SYDNOR of E C Glass High School

Madison
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ASHLEY LILLARD of Madison County High School

Manassas
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MELISSA PETERS of Osbourn High School
CRYSTAL RAGER of Osbourn Park High School

Montgomery
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ESHA KAPANIA of Blacksburg High School in Blacksburg

Petersburg
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KAYLA UPADHYAYA of Appomattox Regional Governor's School

Pittsylvania
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CATHERINE TYLER of Gretna High School in Gretna

Powhatan
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SHELBY JENNETTE of Powhatan High School

Prince William
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ABIGAIL CLARKSON-DURING of Potomac Senior High School in Dumfries
VAUGHN FRANKLIN of Battlefield High School in Haymarket
JOHN SCHIFALACQUA of Brentsville District High School in Nokesville
ALYSSA HESTER of Freedom High School in Woodbridge

Richmond
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CHARLES LAMPKINS of St. Christopher's School
SIGOURNEY BAILEY of Open High School
CANDICE BROWN of St. Catherines School
WILLIAM FARMER of Maggie L. Walker Governor's School
JACQUELIN GRADY of Richmond Community High School
LAURA IVEY of Freeman High School
TREVEL JACKSON of Huguenot High School
JASMYN PAIGE of Franklin Military Academy
SARAH SUMMERS of Varina High School

Spotsylvania
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DENZEL BLOUNT of Courtland High School

Stafford
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ETHAN BURNS of Mountain View High School

Waynesboro
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SETH JERGENSON of Waynesboro High School

Westmoreland
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NAVON SHANE ALLEN of Washington & Lee High School in Montross

Winchester
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KARA DIXON of John Handley High School
ERICA RIDGELL of Millbrook High School
JENNA DANZIG of James Wood High School

Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20100514/PH05154
AP Archive: http://photoarchive.ap.org/
AP PhotoExpress Network: PRN6
PRN Photo Desk, photodesk@prnewswire.com
Source: Comcast

CONTACT: Alisha Martin, Senior Manager of Public Relations, Comcast,
+1-410-513-3155, alisha_martin@cable.comcast.com

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