Comcast awards $23,000 in scholarships to Vermont high school seniors

14 recipients from around the state each received $1,000. An additional $9,000 went to one student from Springfield.

 MONTPELIER, Vt., March 18, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- The Comcast Foundation, founded in 1999 to provide charitable support to its local communities and to empower and enrich lives, has awarded 14

Vermont high school seniors scholarships 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.

Comcast, joined by Governor Peter Shumlin, recognized the students at a special event held at the Vermont State House today. The fourteen recipients each received $1,000 scholarships. One student, Jordan Phelps, a resident of Springfield and student at Springfield High School, was selected to receive an additional $9,000 Comcast Founders Scholarship - instituted in honor of Ralph J. Roberts, Founder and Chairman Emeritus of Comcast Corporation. In total, Comcast awarded $23,000 worth of scholarships in Vermont this year.

"In Vermont, we believe in preparing our students and making sure they have the qualifications to fill tomorrow's jobs," said Governor Peter Shumlin. "We're making the investments in our future that will allow us to lead the way for decades to come and we appreciate that Comcast shares our commitment to developing our future leaders and helping them achieve their dreams of higher education."

"This year's scholarship winners demonstrate exemplary commitment to leadership in both their classrooms and community," said Mary McLaughlin, senior vice president of Comcast's Western New England Region, which includes Vermont. "We are proud to recognize their achievements, and are excited to support them as they continue their educational journeys."

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 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.

Since 2007, Comcast has awarded a total of $149,000 in Leaders & Achievers Scholarships to 113 students in Vermont. To date, Comcast has awarded more than $22.8 million to nearly 23,000 Leaders and Achievers Scholarship winners nationwide.

The 14 Vermont students receiving scholarships include:

• Kiana Amirkiaee, a resident of Woodstock and student at Woodstock Sr. UHSD #4
• Peter Camardo, a resident of South Burlington and student at South Burlington High School
• Maya Dow, a resident of West Rutland and student at West Rutland School
• Megan Elrick, a resident of Proctor and student at Proctor Jr/Sr High School
• Shannon Gadway, a resident of Poultney and student at Poultney High School
• Honour Greene, a resident of Chelsea and student at Randolph Technical Career Center in Randolph
• Lee Krulikowski, a resident of Arlington and student at Arlington Memorial High School
• Lindsay Legault-Knowles, a resident of Fairfax and student at Bellows Free Academy
• Jordan Phelps, a resident of Springfield and student at Springfield High School
• Laura Roberts, a resident of Brandon and student at Otter Valley Union High School
• Rachel Scibek, a resident of Colchester and student at Colchester High School
• Bailey Sherwin, a resident of North Ferrisburg and student at Mount Abraham UHSD #28 in Bristol
• Lyra Wanzer, a resident of East Montpelier and student at U-32 High School in Montpelier
• Brendan Wright, a resident of Rutland and student at Rutland Senior High School

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.

About Comcast Corporation Comcast Corporation (Nasdaq: CMCSA, CMCSK) is a global media and technology company with two primary businesses, Comcast Cable and NBCUniversal. Comcast Cable is the nation's largest video, high-speed Internet and phone provider to residential customers under the XFINITY brand and also provides these services to businesses. NBCUniversal operates 30 news, entertainment and sports cable networks, the NBC and Telemundo broadcast networks, television production operations, television station groups, Universal Pictures and Universal Parks and Resorts. Visit www.comcastcorporation.com for more information.

SOURCE: Comcast Cable