$55,000 in Scholarships to Houston-Area Students

For the first time ever in Houston, 55 local high school seniors are receiving a helping hand for college in the form of $1,000 scholarships from the Comcast Foundation. The Comcast Leaders and Achievers Scholarship Program, one of the Comcast Foundation's signature community investment programs, recognizes students in local communities who have demonstrated leadership skills, academic achievement and a commitment to community service.

A commitment to community service is an essential component in the selection of winners of Comcast Leaders and Achievers Scholarships. This year's winners have participated in a wide variety of community service activities, such as helping revitalize communities as part of mission work, mentoring and coaching younger students, volunteering at hospitals and participating in local blood, food and clothing drives. Local community organizations like Big Brothers Big Sisters, YMCA, the American Red Cross, Special Olympics and the Houston Area Women's Center have benefited from their service.

Nationally, 1,965 high school seniors are the beneficiaries of $1,000 Comcast Leaders and Achievers scholarships this year. In the eight years since the Leaders and Achievers Scholarship Program began, it has awarded close to $10 million in college aid to more than 9,000 students. Local Houston area scholarship winners will be attending colleges such as the University of Texas, Texas A&M University, Rice University, Texas Southern University, University of Houston, Harvard College and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, among others.

Each year, Comcast works with high school principals, guidance counselors, and school administrators to select the scholarship recipients. The program is managed by Scholarship Program Administrators -- an independent, not-for-profit organization that manages corporate and corporate foundation scholarship programs.

For additional information, visit www.comcast.com/scholarships.