Local students among Comcast scholarship honorees

Edited by Chris Graham
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Three local students were among those recognized at an event in Richmond last week as Comcast Foundation scholarship winners.

Seth Jergenson of Waynesboro High School, Emberli McGann of Stuarts Draft High School and Laura Reeves of Buffalo Gap High School will all receive $1,000 scholarships from the Comcast Foundation.

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.

“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.