Comcast and the Comcast Foundation today announced the names of the 2014 “Leaders and Achievers Scholarship” recipients from the company’s Greater Chicago Region, which includes Illinois, Northwest Indiana and Southwest Michigan (full list of recipients below). The scholarships are awarded to high school seniors who are viewed as catalysts for positive change in their communities, have solid academic records and serve as role models for their fellow students. The program’s mission is to recognize those high school students who play an active role in and help others in their communities, motivate them to continue on their paths and encourage other students to work to improve their communities as well. Recipients receive $1,000 grants to be used for college expenses.
“This year’s Comcast Leaders and Achievers Scholarship recipients demonstrated a strong commitment to leadership in both their classrooms and their communities,” said John Crowley, Comcast’s Greater Chicago Region senior vice president. “Comcast is proud of the recipients and their achievements and thrilled we can provide support as they go on to college and the next phases of their lives.”
Recipients were recognized at a ceremony today hosted by Comcast at the Museum of Broadcast Communications in Chicago. NBC5 Chicago reporter Natalie Martinez served as emcee for the event and spoke to recipients and family members about the importance of helping others in their communities.
“As a recognized leader who has supported several non-profit organizations and received awards for excellence in reporting, Natalie is a role model for our scholarship recipients,” Crowley said. “We can’t thank Natalie enough for making this year’s Leaders and Achievers Scholarship ceremony so special for the winners.”
“This group of scholarship recipients will become our next generation of leaders in Chicago,” said Chicago 47th Ward Alderman Ameya Pawar, who attended the ceremony and spoke to attendees about the importance of civic involvement. “I congratulate and thank them for the work they’ve done already, and I encourage them to continue to reach out and help others in their communities.”
Since the 2001-2002 school year, Comcast has awarded nearly $20 million in scholarships to more than 19,000 recipients across the nation. More than 160 students in Comcast’s Greater Chicago Region received scholarships this year.
Won $4,000 at the Comcast leaders and achievers scholarship luncheon.Thank u:) @ComcastILLINOIS #leadersachievers pic.twitter.com/FNz8lKBna7
— Tracy Mraz (@Nerdytracy) June 5, 2014
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. Click here to learn more.
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.
With more than 7,000 local employees, Comcast’s Greater Chicago Region (chicago.comcast.com) serves customers in central and northern Illinois, including the Chicago area, northwest Indiana and southwest Michigan. “Like” Comcast’s Greater Chicago Region on Facebook by visiting Comcast of Illinois, NW Indiana and SW Michigan. “Follow” Comcast’s Greater Chicago Region on Twitter at @ComcastIllinois. Become an Xfinity VIP by texting XVIPFB to 47211 and get product updates and discounts on local events.
List of Comcast Leaders and Achievers Scholarship recipients by sub-region:
| Central Illinois | Samah Ahmed | Champaign, IL | University Laboratory High School |
| Leslee Chambers | Champaign, IL | Judah Christian | |
| Michelle Driscoll | Urbana, IL | Urbana High School | |
| Caitlin Haisler | Peoria, IL | Peoria Notre Dame High School | |
| Rachell Hinkamper | Quincy, IL | Quincy Notre Dame High School | |
| Haleigh Hoskins | Peoria, IL | Peoria Christian School | |
| Storm Joop | Champaign, IL | The High School of Saint Thomas More | |
| Morgan Justison | Chatham, IL | GLENWOOD HIGH SCHOOL | |
| Kelly Lenz | Knoxville, IL | Knoxville High School | |
| Jordan Luczaj | Mt. Pulaski, IL | Mt. Pulaski High School | |
| Rachel Mencel | Colchester, IL | West Prairie High School | |
| Madison Miller | Champaign, IL | Central High School | |
| Emma Ngati | Macomb, IL | Macomb Senior High School | |
| Sara Regan | Champaign, IL | Centennial High School | |
| Theodore Roll | Bloomington, IL | Normal Community High School | |
| Terra Scranton | Quincy, IL | Quincy Senior High School | |
| Stephanie Southey | Peoria, IL | Richwoods High School | |
| Jessica Sullivan | Washington, IL | Washington High School | |
| Shaynah Woody | Peoria, IL | Peoria High School | |
| City of Chicago | AaQuilah Ali | Chicago, IL | Gwendolyn Brooks College Prep Academy |
| Kailyn Bates | Chicago, IL | Mother Mcauley Lib Arts H S | |
| Jeffrey Carodine | Chicago, IL | Chicago Military Academy — Bronzeville | |
| Tresure Carter | Chicago, IL | Lake View High School | |
| Felix Carlo Cavan | Chicago, IL | John Hope College Prep High | |
| Brittany Clay | Chicago, IL | Chicago High School for Agricultural Sciences | |
| Ana Cortes | Chicago, IL | Our Lady of Tepeyac High School | |
| Christopher Doherty | Chicago, IL | St. Laurence High School | |
| Jessica Figueroa | Chicago, IL | St. Benedict High School | |
| Annaliese Fontanez | Chicago, IL | Noble Street College Prep | |
| Isael Garcia | Chicago, IL | Curie Metro High | |
| Alondra Gonzalez | Chicago, IL | World Language H.S. | |
| Ashley Gordon | Chicago, IL | Devry Advantage Academy | |
| Yordanos Goshu | Chicago, IL | Lane Tech High | |
| Pedro Gutierrez | Chicago, IL | Kelvyn Park High | |
| Angelique Jones | Chicago, IL | Collins Academy High School | |
| Michael Jones | Chicago, IL | Wendell Phillips Academy | |
| Miriah Jones | Chicago, IL | Harlan High School | |
| Maria Juarez | Chicago, IL | EPIC Academy High School | |
| Hannah Kreinik | Chicago, IL | Ogden International School of Chicago | |
| Amairani Lopez | Chicago, IL | Chicago Bulls College Prep – Noble Street Charter High School | |
| Lorena Martinzez | Chicago, IL | Carl Schurz High School | |
| Erick Masias | Chicago, IL | Walter Payton College Prep High School | |
| Yolanda Maung | Chicago, IL | Muchin College Prep – Noble Street Charter High School | |
| Tywon McCall | Chicago, IL | Chicago Vocational Carrer Acad HS | |
| Phyllis McElroy | Chicago, IL | Emil G. Hirsch Metropolitan High School | |
| Sashalee Montes | Chicago, IL | Roberto Clemente Community Academy High School | |
| Arslan Munir | Chicago, IL | Uplift Community Academy | |
| Emanuel Perez | Chicago, IL | Whitney Young High School | |
| Jennifer Pigue | Chicago, IL | Johnson College Prep – Noble Street Charter High School | |
| Michal Rajski | Chicago, IL | Northside College Prep High School | |
| Sergio Ruiz | Chicago, IL | Rickover Naval Acad. | |
| Zahra Sajwani | Chicago, IL | Senn Metro Academy | |
| Leojair Santana | Chicago, IL | Hubbard High | |
| Kenyatta Smith | Chicago, IL | Wells High | |
| Evelin Stoyanova | Chicago, IL | Steinmetz Academic Centre HS | |
| Kevin Sullivan | Chicago, IL | Brother Rice High School | |
| Joshua Taylor | Chicago, IL | Orr Academy High School | |
| Jaylon Tucker | Chicago, IL | Lindblom High School | |
| Joselyn Vasquez | Chicago, IL | Woodstock North High School | |
| Enrique Vega | Chicago, IL | Farragut Career Academy | |
| Jia Min Yang | Chicago, IL | Thomas Kelly High School | |
| Rosario Zavala | Chicago, IL | Phoenix Military Academy | |
| Northwest Indiana | Sydney Clark | Valparaiso , IN | Valparaiso High School |
| Taylor Cody | Gary, IN | Merrillville High School | |
| Kaylin Fanta | St. John, IN, Hanover Jr. and Sr. High School | ||
| Aaron Hancock | Mishawaka, IN | Penn Harris Madison High School | |
| Jasmine Jackson | South Bend, IN | Riley High School | |
| Eashan Kumar | Munster, IN | Munster High School | |
| Arissa Ruano | Hammond, IN | St Francis De Sales High Sch | |
| Nicholas Ruhe | Michigan City, IN | Michigan City High School | |
| Keegan Wilhelm | Galien, IN | New Buffalo High School | |
| Katherine Younghans | Goshen, IN | Goshen High School | |
| Southwest Michigan | Taylor Beukelman | Watervliet, MI | Grace Christian School |
| Jacob Harvey | Coloma, MI | COLOMA HIGH SCHOOL | |
| Ryan High | Bridgman, MI | Bridgman High School | |
| Brittany Klingerman | Niles, MI | Niles Sr. School | |
| Brittany Schmidt | Niles, MI | Buchanan High School | |
| North Suburban | Graham Ambrose | Deerfield, IL | Deerfield High School |
| John Blauert | Steger, IL | Illinois Lutheran High School | |
| Hannah Bohn | Antioch, IL | Antioch Community High School | |
| Emily Bone | Mt. Zion, IL | Mt. Zion High School | |
| Michelle Bourbon | Deerfield, IL | Regina Dominican High School | |
| Jakob Chapman | Ashton, IL | Ashton-Franklin Center High School | |
| Melissa Chavez | Streamwood, IL | Streamwood High School | |
| Thomas Chirayil | Carpentersville, IL | Harry D Jacobs High School | |
| Thomas Collins | Gurnee, IL | Warren Township High School – Almond Campus | |
| Emma Crandall | Oregon, IL | Oregon High School | |
| Ian Fitzgerald | Arlington Hts, IL | Rolling Meadows High School | |
| Kevin Franz | Mundelein, IL | Mundelein High School | |
| Allison Furr | Rock Falls, IL | Newman Central Catholic High School | |
| Anna Gipe | Sandwich. IL | Sandwich High School | |
| Karis Gorak | Rockford, IL | Guilford High School | |
| Telly Hunter | Schaumburg, IL | James B. Conant High School | |
| Caroline Hutton | West Dundee, IL | Dundee-Crown High School | |
| Smita Jain | Skokie, IL | Niles West High School | |
| Marki Kaim | Elk Grove Village, IL | Elk Grove High School | |
| Paul Lewis | Hoffman Estates, IL | St. Viator High School | |
| Diana Lopez | Belvidere, IL | Belvidere North High School | |
| Manuel Mendez | Waukegan, IL | Waukegan High School | |
| Aziz Milla | Rockford, IL | Jefferson High School | |
| Joseph Miller | Loves Park, IL | Harlem High School | |
| Theresa Miller | Lake Zurich, IL | Lake Zurich High School | |
| Camille Myers | Rochelle, IL | Rochelle High School | |
| Allison Oakes | Palatine, IL | William Fremd High School | |
| Drew Paszotta | DeKalb, IL | DeKalb High School | |
| Maria Peñas | Bartlett, IL | St. Francis High School | |
| Beatriz Pizano | Waukegan, IL | St. Martin de Porres High School | |
| Cleveland Redd | Rockford, IL | Auburn High School | |
| Sarah Ryan | Niles, IL | Resurrection High School | |
| Christopher Sampson | Peru, IL | St. Bede Academy | |
| Kelly Schmidt | Princeton, IL | Princeton High School | |
| Carlo Shin | Crystal Lake, IL | Marian Central Catholic High School | |
| Zachary Silver | Vernon Hills, IL | Vernon Hills High School | |
| John Vernasco | Libertyville, IL | Libertyville High School | |
| Sania Zaffar | Schaumburg, IL | Schaumburg High School | |
| Erik Zuberbuhler | Freeport, IL | Freeport Sr. High School | |
| South Suburban | Zachary Abbott | Park Forest, IL | Rich East High School |
| Dana Abdullah | Orland Park, IL | AQSA School | |
| Tracy Barnes | Matteson, IL | Rich South High School | |
| Sarah Brenner | Peotone, IL | Peotone High School | |
| Ashley Buksa | Alsip, IL | Shepard High School | |
| Sarah Crews | Beecher, IL | Beecher High School | |
| Madeline Doon | Chicago Ridge, IL | Richards High School | |
| Kendall Evans | University Park, IL | Chicago Christian High School | |
| Jesus Fernandez | South Holland, IL | Thornwood High School | |
| Kiya Ford | Mokena, IL | Lincoln-Way East High School | |
| Michael Goodman | Bourbonnais, IL | Bradley-Bourbonnais High School | |
| Yee Mon Han | Tinley Park, IL | Andrew High School | |
| Nabeel Kassam | Evergreen Park, IL | Evergreen Park High School | |
| Ciara Lindgren | Clifton, IL | Central High School | |
| Jana Mudrock | New Lenox, IL | Lincoln-Way Central High School | |
| Reagan Pender | Oak Lawn, IL | St Rita High School | |
| Aimee Schroeder | Hickory Hills, IL | Stagg High School | |
| Lauryn White | Sauk Village, IL | Mt. Assisi Academy | |
| West Suburban | Michelle Awad | Lemont, IL | Lemont Township High School |
| Martyna Brzys | Wood Dale, IL | Fenton High School | |
| Antonia Caba | Plainfield, IL | Plainfield North High School | |
| Sarah Clouser | Lombard, IL | Batavia High School | |
| Sydney Deuter | Elmhurst, IL | York High School | |
| Bridget Flesher | St. Charles, IL | St. Charles East High School | |
| Matthew Fredericksen | St. Charles, IL | St. Charles North High School | |
| Shatavia Freeman | Hillside, IL | Proviso West High School | |
| Kimberly Guse | Bolingbrook, IL | Bolingbrook High School | |
| Shannon Hale | Aurora, IL | Oswego East High School | |
| Perla Hernandez | Villa Park, IL | Willowbrook High School | |
| Margaret Hu | Darien, IL | Hinsdale Central High School | |
| Rosemary LaBelle | Wheaton, IL | Wheaton Warrenville South High School | |
| Devinne Love | Westchester, IL | Nazareth Academy | |
| Mackenzie Meissner | West Chicago, IL | West Chicago Community High School | |
| Munira Mithaiwala | Willowbrook, IL | Hinsdale South High School | |
| Ciara Monroe | Country Club Hills, IL | Hillcrest High School | |
| Jimmy Niguyen | Burbank, IL | Reavis High School | |
| Elizabeth Oladokun | Elgin, IL | Larkin High School | |
| Daniel Pena | Glendale Heights, IL | Glenbard North High School | |
| Scott Provenzano | Lisle, IL | Lisle Senior High School | |
| Cecilia Quintero | Stickney, IL | St. Joseph High School | |
| Argenis Razon | Cicero, IL | De La Salle Institute | |
| Ayla Robinson | Plainfield, IL | Plainfield South High School | |
| Shanelle Robinson | Kankakee, IL | Kankakee High School | |
| Uljana Sejko | Addison, IL | Addison Trail High School | |
| Alexis Smith | Plano, IL | Plano High School | |
| Iliana Villalobos | Aurora, IL | Aurora East High School | |
| Elena Wiesner | Aurora, IL | Aurora Central Catholic High School | |
| Grant Younger | La Grange, IL | Lyons Township High School |
