Ronald McDonald House Charities and AT&T Award College Scholarships to Disadvantaged Students

TAMPA, Fla., November 27, 2012 /3BL Media/ - Ronald McDonald House Charities of Tampa Bay (RMHCTB) in partnership with Ronald McDonald House Charities Global, Florida Prepaid College Foundation STARS Program and AT&T are awarding thirty-six scholarships to high school students. Each student receives a two-year Florida Pre-paid contract. The students will be recognized at an awards reception, sponsored by McDonald’s, on Tuesday, November 27 at the Grand Hyatt Tampa Bay on the Courtney Campbell Causeway.

New for 2012, through the CBS EcoMedia EducationAd, AT&T is awarding $18,000 to RMHCTB towards its scholarship program, resulting in five additional scholarships for deserving students. Historically, supporting education has been a major focus for AT&T and it continues to be a key philanthropic focus. 

“AT&T is strongly committed to helping students complete high school and move on to college or the workforce,” said Marshall Criser III, President, AT&T Florida.  “We believe every student has the potential to succeed and are pleased to be working with McDonald’s, Ronald McDonald House Charities, and EcoMedia to expand the number of Tampa Bay-area students who will receive scholarships. We applaud this year’s recipients for how they are embracing the future and for their determination to reach their dreams through education.”

RMHC scholarship recipients were chosen based on academic success, community involvement, financial need and a personal essay describing their college and career plans, community involvement and any special circumstances. 

“Every year, I am impressed by the applicants who have demonstrated a high standard of commitment to higher education and as a local business owner, it’s an honor to help send these students to college,” said McDonald’s Owner/Operator, Juan Vazquez. “RMHC, McDonald’s and AT&T are committed to higher education and we welcome the opportunity to assist promising students succeed in reaching their goals.” Vasquez owns restaurants in Pinellas county and Tampa.

This year’s local RMHC Scholarship winners are:

Jessica Fee – Citrus county                            Ladeja Dennis – DeSoto county

Nycarion Williams – DeSoto county                Emilio Macedo-Hernandez – Hardee county

Amalia Rivera – Hardee county                       Rachael DePrimo – Hernando county

Jennifer Gordon – Hernando county               Taylor Ritchie – Highlands county

Lindsey English – Hillsborough                      Jessica Erdain – Hillsborough county             

Alexander Fernandez – Hillsborough                Yen-Linh Ho – Hillsborough county

Keysha Juste – Hillsborough county                Maria Rojo – Hillsborough county

Ei Thazin – Hillsborough county                     Wilson Palencia – Manatee county                

Stephanie Sarmiento – Manatee county            Loila Carlos – Pasco county

Mehgan Griswold – Pasco county                    Christina Hilliary – Pasco county

Jacquelynn Shelton – Pasco county                 Antonio Alvarez – Pinellas county

Erkanda Bilali – Pinellas county                       Abraham Daniels – Pinellas county

Stephanie Fields – Pinellas county                   Chelsea Henderson – Pinellas county

Thalia Madera – Pinellas county                      Joshua Tuzzolino – Pinellas county

Jacqueline Chavez – Polk county                     Chan-Erica Feacher – Polk county

Denee Green – Polk county                            Skylar Lineberger – Polk county

Julio Olmo, Jr. – Polk county                          Sarah Cusick – Sarasota county

Ajia Lee – Sarasota county                             Andrew Tryon – Sarasota county

About Ronald McDonald House Charities of Tampa Bay

Ronald McDonald House Charities of Tampa Bay® provides comfort, care and support to children and their families through the operation of core programs like the Ronald McDonald House®, the Ronald McDonald Care Mobile®, RMHC College Scholarships, and grants to other non-profit organizations that assist children. Its cornerstone program, the Ronald McDonald House® of Tampa Bay provides a safe and affordable comfortable home-away-from-home for families of pediatric patients in area hospitals. The four area Houses provide comfort and care to more than 2,000 families annually, having served more than 42,000 families since opening its doors in 1980. It is the cornerstone program of Ronald McDonald House Charities of Tampa Bay.

About AT&T

AT&T Inc. (NYSE:T) is a premier communications holding company and one of the most honored companies in the world. Its subsidiaries and affiliates – AT&T operating companies – are the providers of AT&T services in the United States and around the world. With a powerful array of network resources that includes the nation’s fastest mobile broadband network, AT&T is a leading provider of wireless, Wi-Fi, high speed Internet, voice and cloud-based services. A leader in mobile broadband and emerging 4G capabilities, AT&T also offers the best wireless coverage worldwide of any U.S. carrier, offering the most wireless phones that work in the most countries. It also offers advanced TV services under the AT&T U-verse^® and AT&T |DIRECTV brands. The company’s suite of IP-based business communications services is one of the most advanced in the world. In domestic markets, AT&T Advertising Solutions and AT&T Interactive are known for their leadership in local search and advertising.

About CBS EcoMedia Inc.

At EcoMedia, we're propelled by the desire to create positive social change; that's been our mission since we founded the company in 2002.  In 2008, after successfully partnering with CBS on a wide range of environmental projects, EcoMedia became the newest addition to the CBS Corporation portfolio, exponentially scaling our reach across television, radio, interactive, publishing and outdoor media. 

Through our patent-pending EcoAd, WellnessAd and EducationAd programs, an innovative twist on traditional advertising, advertisers are able to support much-needed local projects which in turn creates jobs, saves taxpayer money and improves the quality of life in communities nationwide.  In the process, we’re fundamentally altering the advertising landscape, elevating the ordinary, traditional commercial – and media, in general – into a catalyst for tangible, quantifiable social change.  Please visit ecomedia.cbs.com to learn more. 

By participating in EcoMedia’s EcoAd, WellnessAd and EducationAd advertising programs, EcoMedia’s advertisers agree to provide funding for projects we believe will have a beneficial effect upon the environment, health and/or education within local communities.  EcoMedia’s advertising programs are not certification programs nor are the EcoAd, WellnessAd or EducationAd logos seals of approval. EcoMedia does not in any way certify, endorse or make any representations about EcoMedia program advertisers, their products or services.