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Education Celebrated at State Capitol as Comcast Awards $174,000 in College Scholarships to California High School Seniors

Posted on: Wednesday, 17 June 2009, 15:20 CDT

Students from Sacramento and Tracy Win $10,000 Comcast Founders Scholarships While 15 Seniors Receive New Notebook Computers

Comcast's 'Leaders and Achievers(R) Scholarship Program' Recognizes California Students For Leadership and Outstanding Commitment to Community Service

SACRAMENTO, Calif., June 17 /PRNewswire/ -- Discussions of California's budget problems and educational cuts were put on hold today in Sacramento, as Comcast and elected officials joined with students and their families in a celebration of education on the steps of the California State Capitol. Comcast announced the 154 California high school seniors who have won a 2009 Comcast Leaders and Achievers(R) Scholarship, and then partnered with state legislators to present each student attendee with their individual $1,000 grant. Fifteen of the winning students were also given a personal notebook computer to use at college, and Comcast distributed two additional $10,000 scholarships for a total of $174,000 in grants awarded at the special recognition ceremony.

In addition to their $1,000 scholarships, Corrinne Bridgewater of John F. Kennedy High School in Sacramento and Kristina Rodriguez of Tracy High School in Tracy each won Comcast Founders Scholarships of $10,000 -- instituted in honor of Ralph J. Roberts, Founder and Chairman Emeritus of Comcast Corporation. Corrinne Bridgewater will be attending Howard University and Kristina Rodriguez will study at Dominican University.

Speakers at the event included California State Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack O'Connell and David Cohen, Executive Vice President of Comcast Corporation. In addition, the students and their families also received a tour of the State Capitol, and complimentary admission to the California Museum, home of the California Hall of Fame. For a complete list of California's 2009 Comcast Leaders and Achievers(R) Scholarship recipients, see below or visit: http://comcastcalifornia.mediaroom.com/index.php?s=56&item=205.

"In today's technology-driven, hypercompetitive global economy, experience in higher education is more important than ever," said California State Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack O'Connell. "I applaud Comcast for helping to ensure that California and the nation share a bright future by offering these scholarships to outstanding California students."

"Each year, we are excited to provide scholarships for these talented students," said David Cohen, Executive Vice President of Comcast Corporation. "Comcast seeks high school seniors who demonstrate leadership abilities in school activities and who reflect a strong commitment to community service. These students are our future leaders, and we hope these scholarships will help to power their dreams for success."

Each student who attended the celebration of education at the capitol received their $1,000 Comcast Leaders and Achievers(R) Scholarship from their local legislators or Comcast executives, and then had a group photo taken with the legislators from the districts where scholarship winners live. At the conclusion of the ceremony, the 15 winners of the notebook computers and the two winners of the $10,000 Comcast Founders Scholarships were announced.

About the Comcast "Leaders And Achiever's(R) Scholarship Program"

This year in California, Comcast is recognizing 154 young people with scholarships - for a total of $154,000 in grants - as part of Comcast's 2009 national Leaders and Achievers(R) Scholarship Program. Each student receives a one-time $1,000 grant.

The Leaders and Achievers(R) Scholarship Program, one of the Comcast Foundation's signature community investment programs, recognizes high school seniors for their leadership skills, positive attitude, academic achievement and various community service activities including mentoring and tutoring younger students, volunteering at hospitals and participating in relief efforts. 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 the value placed on civic involvement by the business community.

In 2009, the program will grant more than $1.8 million, recognizing 1,879 students attending high schools in Comcast communities across the country. Since its inception in 2000, the program has awarded more than $11 million in college aid to more than 11,000 high school seniors.

Each year, Comcast works with high school principals, guidance counselors and school administrators to select the scholarship recipients. The Leaders and Achievers(R) Scholarship Program is managed by Scholarship Program Administrators -- an independent, not-for-profit organization that manages corporate and corporate foundation scholarship programs. For more information on the Leaders and Achievers Scholarship Program, visit www.comcast.com/inthecommunity.

2009 Comcast Leaders and Achievers(R) Scholarship Winners from California

(154 California high school seniors - each student receives a $1,000 grant)

SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENTS: (by county and then by city where high school is located)

Alameda County

• Alameda - Kaitlyn Sutter of Arthur Anderson Community Learning Center
• Alameda - Matthew Yuen of Alameda High School
• Albany - Jessica Bibby of Albany High School
• Dublin - Isabella Europa of Dublin High School
• Fremont - Sarah Ferris of American High School
• Fremont - Caili West of Fremont Christian School
• Hayward - Celestino Garcia of Mount Eden High School
• Hayward - Cherilyn Go of Moreau Catholic High School
• Livermore - Mark Larik of Livermore High School
• Oakland - Kenny Chan of Skyline Senior High School
• Oakland - Veronica Guzman of Lighthouse Community Charter School
• Oakland - Hector Ortiz-Rosales of St. Elizabeth High School
• Pleasanton - Alysha Steele of Foothill High School
• Union City - Louis Wong of James Logan High School

Butte County

• Chico - Marisa Donnelly of Chico High School
• Gridley - Ellexis Khan of Gridley Union High School
• Oroville - Anthony Ferretti of Oroville High School
• Oroville - Jesse Keeler of Las Plumas High School

Colusa County

• Arbuckle - Veronica Chavez of Pierce High School
• Colusa - Kiley Herrick of Colusa High School

Contra Costa County

• Brentwood - Saba Alemnew of Heritage High School
• Concord - Azen Eunice Aguilar of Nueva Vista High School
• Concord - Amado Jonathan Beltran of De La Salle High School
• Concord - Cassie Hadley of Crossroads High School
• Concord - Oswaldo Hasbun of Ygnacio Valley High School
• Concord - Laura Mack of Clayton Valley High School
• Concord - Kellie Stone of Floyd I. Marchus School
• Crockett - Allison Serpa of Willow High School
• Danville - Ariel Henley of San Ramon Valley High School
• Danville - Garrett Weiss of Monte Vista High School
• El Sobrante - Kirk Brandenburg of Bethel Christian Academy
• Lafayette - Edward Kao of Acalanes High School
• Martinez - Kaitlyn Quackenbush of Alhambra Senior High School
• Oakley - Joseph Omoletski of Freedom High School
• Pittsburg - Elisa Sunga of Pittsburg Senior High School
• San Ramon - Vicki Hsieh of California High School
• Walnut Creek - Georg Ristock of Northgate High School
• Walnut Creek - Leah Samuel of Las Lomas High School

El Dorado County

• Placerville - Amelia Hall of El Dorado High School
• Shingle Springs - Brianna Juhrend of Ponderosa High School

Fresno County

• Clovis - Cody Ashford of Buchananon High School
• Clovis - Nicole Huynh of Clovis East High School
• Clovis - Jonathan Mott of Clovis High School
• Clovis - Micah Stanford of Clovis West High School
• Coalinga - Abram Howe of Faith Christian Academy
• Coalinga - Christopher Scrivner of Coalinga High School
• Fresno - Dominic Rios of San Joaquin Memorial High School
• Fresno - Daniel Ward of Bullard High School
• Parlier - Izamar Rodriguez of Parlier High School
• Reedley - Loretta Botello of Immanuel Schools
• Reedley - David Tomajan of Reedley High School
• Sanger - Elison Hernandez of Sanger High School

Madera County

• Madera - Anthony Bringetto of Liberty High School
• Madera - Marlena Carranza of Pioneer Technical Center
• Madera - Mayra Garcia of Madera County Opportunity

Marin County

• Larkspur - Rachel Thompson of Redwood High School
• San Rafael - Jacquelyn Davis of San Rafael High School
• San Rafael - Lea Gee-Tong of Marin Academy

Merced County

• Atwater - Jennifer Ray of Buhach Colony High School
• Atwater - Kaylyn Schiber of Atwater High School
• Dos Palos - Mercedes Ramirez of Dos Palos High School
• Gustine - Miguel Padilla of Gustine High School
• Merced - Darrell Cherf of Merced High School
• Merced - Jeffrey Spinardi of Golden Valley High School

Monterey County

• Carmel - Caelan Urquhart of Carmel High School
• Monterey - Shelby Carroll of Santa Catalina School
• Pacific Grove - Molly Speacht of Pacific Grove High School
• Salinas - Kenneth Fernandez of Alisal High School
• Salinas - Maria Montenegro of Salinas High School

Napa County

• Napa - Nicholas Bellomy of Justin-Siena High School

Nevada County

• Grass Valley - Jessie Durrett of Nevada Union High School
• Grass Valley - Gregory McAteer of Bear River High School

Placer County

• Roseville - Bailey Marshall of Woodcreek High School

Sacramento County

• Carmichael - Kelcie Lee of Visions in Education
• Elk Grove - Iris Huang of Franklin High School
• Elk Grove - Aneka McKean of Laguna Creek High School
• Fair Oaks - Tamara Halverson of Bella Vista High School
• Folsom - Anna Lee of Folsom High School
• Galt - Christina Goethel of Galt Joint Union High School
• North Highlands - Lily Nedeoglo of Futures High School
• Sacramento - Corinne Bridgewater of John F. Kennedy High School
• Sacramento - Nadia Gronachon of Sheldon High School
• Sacramento - Sunshine Lor of Valley High School
• Sacramento - Natalie Reyes of Christian Brothers High School
• Sacramento - Vanessa Rodriguez of Encina High School
• Sacramento - Amber Sutherland of Foothill High School
• Sacramento - Kao Xiong of Grant Union High School

San Francisco County

• San Francisco - Fatima Avellan of Mercy High School
• San Francisco - Caitlin Brown of Sterne School
• San Francisco - Claire Le Maitre of Lycee Francais School
• San Francisco - Katlyn Roobian of Immaculate Conception Academy
• San Francisco - Taneya Vines of S.R. Martin College Preparatory
• San Francisco - America Whitten of San Francisco Waldorf

San Joaquin County

• Linden - Katherine Chiccone of Linden High School
• Lodi - Lauren Meehleis of Lodi High School
• Lodi - Michael Nunez of Jim Elliot Christian High School
• Lodi - Anna Woelfel of Tokay High School
• Manteca - Kyrie Belme of East Union High School
• Stockton - Rabiha Ahmed of Middle College High School
• Stockton - Zachary Hampton of Brookside Christian High School
• Stockton - Anthony Hooper of Stockton Christian High School
• Stockton - Irene Limon of Bear Creek High School
• Stockton - Kelsey Natsuhara of Lincoln High School
• Stockton - Susana Yanez of Weber Institute
• Tracy - Kristina Rodriguez of Tracy High School

San Mateo County

• East Palo Alto - Gabriel Cervantes of Eastside College Preparatory School
• Pacifica - Christopher Curtis of Alma Heights Christian Academy
• Redwood City - Catherine Wellman of Sequoia High School
• San Bruno - Edwina Duenas of Capuchino High School
• San Mateo - Jessica Hardy of Aragon High School

Santa Barbara County

• Lompoc - Emily Casarez of Cabrillo High School
• Los Olivos - Alexandria Dunn of Dunn School

Santa Clara County

• Atherton - Robert Weber of Menlo-Atherton High School
• Los Altos - Matthew Lee of Los Altos High School
• Mountain View - Jose Hiram Quiroz Soberanes of Mountain View High School
• San Jose - Catherine Amutan of Silver Creek High School
• San Jose - Alexandre David of Abraham Lincoln High School
• San Jose - Shelly Goswami of Leland High School
• San Jose - Alinn Louv of Branham High School
• San Jose - Erica Luna of Oak Grove High School
• San Jose - Shawn Mathew of Leigh High School
• San Jose - Anna Sadovnikova of Lynbrook High School
• San Jose - Ariel Walker of Presentation High School
• San Jose - Jennifer Yee of Pioneer High School
• Santa Clara - Cassandra Myers of Santa Clara High School
• Saratoga - Sara Gambord of Saratoga High School
• Sunnyvale - Maria Lopez Suarez of Fremont High School

Santa Cruz County

• Felton - Darby Bukowski of San Lorenzo Valley High School
• Santa Cruz - Carlos Anaya of Harbor High School
• Santa Cruz - Chloe Brown of Pacific Collegiate Charter
• Soquel - Spencer Frazier of Soquel High School

Solano County

• Fairfield - Richard Nolan of Fairfield High School
• Vacaville - Samantha Fine of Vacaville High School
• Vacaville - Colleen Mitchell of Vacaville Christian Academy
• Vallejo - Kevin Ruble of St. Patrick-St. Vincent High School

Sonoma County

• Petaluma - Christopher Lynch of St. Vincent High School
• Petaluma - Sophorn Pen of Casa Grande Senior High School
• Rohnert Park - Diana Jeon of Rancho Cotati High School
• Santa Rosa - Mike Jones of Rincon Valley Christian School

Stanislaus County

• Ceres - Irma Chavez of Ceres High School
• Modesto - Marquis Cox of James C. Enochs High School
• Modesto - Kevin Sutherland of Thomas Downey High School
• Modesto - Timothy Sutter of Modesto High School
• Newman - Makyla Daponte of Orestimba High School
• Oakdale - Nicholas Vizenor of Oakdale High School

Sutter County

• Sutter - Patricia Perkins of Sutter High School
• Yuba City - Kaitlin Barber of River Valley High School
• Yuba City - Kara Gash of Yuba City High School

Tulare County

• Visalia - Michael Arzate of Golden West High School
• Visalia - Emily Booker of Mt. Whitney High School
• Visalia - Ookjay Chung of Redwood High School
• Visalia - Anthony Vander Schaaf of Central Valley Christian High School

Tuolumne County

• Tuolumne - Jake Feriani of Summerville High School

Yuba County

• Marysville - Camille Crane of Marysville High School

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 volunteerism, literacy, and youth leadership development. Since its inception, the Comcast Foundation has donated more than $64 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 Corporation

Comcast Corporation (Nasdaq: CMCSA, CMCSK) (www.comcast.com) is the nation's leading provider of entertainment, information and communication products and services. With 24.1 million cable customers, 15.3 million high-speed Internet customers, and 6.8 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 content networks and investments include E! Entertainment Television, Style Network, Golf Channel, VERSUS, G4, PBS KIDS Sprout, TV One, ten sports networks operated by Comcast Sports Group and Comcast Interactive Media, which develops and operates Comcast's Internet businesses, including Comcast.net (www.comcast.net). Comcast also has a majority ownership in Comcast-Spectacor, whose major holdings include the Philadelphia Flyers NHL hockey team, the Philadelphia 76ers NBA basketball team and two large multipurpose arenas in Philadelphia.

SOURCE Comcast

Source: PR Newswire

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