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

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
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------
    (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
    ---------
    JENNIFER PAULDURAI of Wakefield High School

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

    Bedford
    -------
    ELIZABETH MACKEY of Liberty High School

    Campbell
    --------
    JASMINE WALLER of AltaVista Combined School in Altavista

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

    Chesterfield
    ------------
    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
    ----------------
    KELSEY BARNES of Colonial Heights High School

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

    Danville
    --------
    MEDARDO AYALA of George Washington High School

    Dinwiddie
    ---------
    KARA NUNNALLY of Dinwiddie High School

    Emporia
    -------
    ALEXIS ASTROP of Greensville County High School

    Fluvanna
    --------
    LYNELLE DOUMA of Fluvanna County High School in Palmyra

    Frederick
    ---------
    FARIHA KABIR of Sherando High School in Stephens City

    Greene
    ------
    KASSANDRA HOFFMEISTER of William Monroe High School in Stanardsville

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

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

    Loudoun
    -------
    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
    ---------
    HELEN SYDNOR of E C Glass High School

    Madison
    -------
    ASHLEY LILLARD of Madison County High School

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

    Montgomery
    ----------
    ESHA KAPANIA of Blacksburg High School in Blacksburg

    Petersburg
    ----------
    KAYLA UPADHYAYA of Appomattox Regional Governor's School

    Pittsylvania
    ------------
    CATHERINE TYLER of Gretna High School in Gretna

    Powhatan
    --------
    SHELBY JENNETTE of Powhatan High School

    Prince William
    --------------
    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
    --------
    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
    ------------
    DENZEL BLOUNT of Courtland High School

    Stafford
    --------
    ETHAN BURNS of Mountain View High School

    Waynesboro
    ----------
    SETH JERGENSON of Waynesboro High School

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

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

SOURCE Comcast