Catholic high school seniors receive Leaders and Achievers Scholarships

Photo courtesy of Ray Child

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Salvador Valdez (second from left), from Judge Memorial Catholic High School is awarded a $1,000 scholarship from Superintendent of Public Instruction Larry Shumway (left), Lt. Governor Greg Bell and Comcast Public Relations Director Ray Child at the Comcast Leaders and Achievers Scholarship Ceremony held at the Utah State Capitol Rotunda on June 23.

SALT LAKE CITY - Two Catholic high school students were among 31 seniors in Utah who received a total of $47,000 in college scholarships through the Comcast Foundation's 2010 Leaders and Achievers Scholarship Program at a ceremony held in the Utah State Capitol Rotunda June 23.

Salvador P. Valdez, a 2010 graduate of Judge Memorial Catholic High School, and Shannon K. Kelliher, a 2010 graduate of Juan Diego Catholic High School, each received a $1,000 scholarship.

"The Comcast Leaders and Achievers Scholarship Program provides $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," said Ray Child, Comcast Mountain Region director of public relations. "This year for the first time, four of the students were considered outstanding and surprised at the ceremony with $5,000 Founders scholarships. The philosophy behind the program is to give young people every opportunity to be prepared for the future, to engage youth in their communities, to demonstrate the importance of civic involvement and the value placed on civic involvement by the business community."

The program, which began nationally in 2001 and in Utah in 2003, has awarded more than $13.4 million in scholarships across the country. Recipients are nominated by their school counselors.

"At the beginning of Valdez's junior year, he didn't even know college was an option for him," said Christy Voss, Judge Memorial college counselor. "But when he heard that it was, he became very self motivated to make sure he was on the right track. He comes from a poor, tough neighborhood, where he could have made some wrong choices. But he made great choices against a lot of peer pressure by choosing positive friends, focusing on his grades and succeeding in our Judge community, then giving that back to his community as a positive role model and through volunteer work."

Lt. Gov. Greg Bell was the keynote speaker at the ceremony and said there are many great people in the world who, without a good education, have achieved their goals, but they are the exception, not the rule. He emphasized the importance of creating an environment where students can learn and grow because the vast majority of people need an education.

There were more than 200 people in attendance including the students, their families and both the House of Representatives and the Senate legislators who oversee the districts in which the students live. The legislators helped present the students with their awards.

"We also had a random drawing for 10 Netbook computers," said Child. "These computers are light-weight and are used by students in the classroom."

Following the ceremony students and their families were taken on a tour of the State Capitol building. The students then had photographs taken individually with Governor Gary R. Herbert.