Black Horse Pike Regional Students Earn Honors

A Timber Creek Regional High School senior will have to pay $1,000 less out of his own pocket for college thanks to Comcast Foundation.

Also, the Theta Pi Omega chapter of the historically black Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority announced this week that it will honor six high-achieving students from Timber Creek, Highland and Triton at its inaugural "Best of the Best Awards" dinner at The Mansion, in Voorhees, next weekend. Each of the six students is eligible for one of six scholarships to be awarded.

Timber Creek's Michael Strauch was one of 83 high-school seniors in New Jersey to receive a one-time, $1,000 scholarship through Comcast Foundation's Leaders & Achievers Scholarship Program.

Lt. Gov. Kim Guadagno joined Comcast officials and state legislators on May 15 at the Trenton War Memorial to honor the scholarship recipients.

"In the state of New Jersey, we are committed to helping our young people gain access to quality education and opportunities for personal success," Guadagno said. "Comcast shares in that commitment and through programs like Leaders and Achievers is investing in a bright future for us all."

A total of 11 Camden County students received scholarships through Comcast Foundation this year.

Adeima Ibanga, of Camden's Charles E. Brimm Medical Arts High School, was awarded the top scholarship, the $10,000 Comcast Founders Scholarship. The $10,000 scholarship was instituted in honor of Ralph J. Roberts, founder and chairman emeritus of Comcast Corp.

Each year, Comcast works with high school principals, guidance counselors and school administrators to select the scholarship recipients. Since the program’s inception in 1999, there have been more than 17,000 scholarship winners totaling more than $17.2 million.

“Comcast is proud of its Leaders & Achievers scholarship recipients. They represent some of the best and brightest high-school seniors who also demonstrate civic involvement in the communities we serve across the country,” said Charisse Lillie, vice president of Comcast Corp. Community Investment and president of The Comcast Foundation. “We are thrilled to support their educational efforts with these scholarships.”

The six Black Horse Pike Regional School District students to be honored at the June 2 Theta Pi Omega "Best of the Best Awards" dinner are Timber Creek's Matthew Burton and Paige Austin, Highland's Troy Warren and Chelsie Ann Hopkins, and Triton's Adrian Adams and Abiodun Fakolujo.

“The goal of this program is to not only highlight the young people’s academic achievement, but the service to their communities as well,” said Yvette Sample, president of Theta Pi Omega.

Each of the 115 students from Burlington, Camden and Gloucester counties to be recognized at Theta Pi Omega's first-ever "Best of the Best" event will receive 1001 Things Every College Student Should Know and a pamphlet, "Tips for College Success."

Six students will be awarded scholarships at the event.

Alpha Kappa Alpha was established at Howard University in Washington, D.C., in 1908. It is the oldest Greek-letter organization established by African-American college women. The Theta Pi Omega chapter has served Burlington, Camden and Gloucester counties since 1967.