Two Charleston-area Students Win Bell Atlantic Scholarships

Two Charleston-area Students Win Bell Atlantic Scholarships

'Education Connections' Aids Children of Employees

June 12, 1998

CHARLESTON, W.Va. - Two Charleston-area students have won four-
year college scholarships from Bell Atlantic as part of its Education
Connections program for children of Bell Atlantic - West Virginia
employees.

Christina M. Harvey, of Charleston, and Shayla C. Higginbotham, of Rand,
will receive a total of $8,000 each toward their college expenses, according
to Bell Atlantic Area Manager Sam Cipoletti. Both are seniors -- Harvey
at Charleston Catholic High School and Higginbotham at DuPont High
School in Belle.

In addition to Harvey and Higginbotham, Bell Atlantic awarded $8,000
Education Connections scholarships to Timothy Bailey, Cabell Midland
High School in Ona, and Brandon Hedrick, Greenbrier East High School in
Lewisburg.

Seven other students around the state received $500 stipends to offset their
college expenses.

"These are all extremely bright young people," Cipoletti said. "They are a
credit to their families and their communities. We're delighted Bell
Atlantic can help them achieve their educational goals."

Harvey, who has a 4.6 grade point average, has won state and national
recognition in speech tournaments, including two championships at the
state level. During her spare time, she participates in cross country events
and tutors at-risk youth through her work in the National Honors Society.
She has also been active lobbying Congress to assist the poor of Central
America.

Higginbotham is the salutatorian of her graduating class. She, too, carries
a 4.6 grade point average. She served as a representative for the
Governor's Honors Academy. Also, she enjoys volleyball and was selected
for the all-conference team last year.

Scholarship winners were chosen on the basis of overall grade point
average [GPA]; combined GPA in science, mathematics, English and social
studies; academic ranking in high school; American College Testing
Program [ACT] composite scores, and leadership in extra-curricular
activities. In addition, applicants were required to write an essay about
how technology will impact high school graduation requirements and
students' knowledge upon graduation.

Judges for this year's Education Connections program were Dr. Ray
Boggs, interim director of enrollment management / registrar for Glenville
State College; Dr. David Dunlop, president of Shepherd College, and Dr.
Stephen Markwood, president of Alderson-Broaddus College.

Bell Atlantic -- formed through the merger of Bell Atlantic and NYNEY --
is at the forefront of the new communications and information industry.
With more than 41 million telephone access lines and 6.7 million wireless
customers worldwide, Bell Atlantic companies are premier providers of
advanced wireline voice and data services, market leaders in wireless
services and the world's largest publishers of directory information. Bell
Atlantic are also among the world's largest investors in high-growth global
communications markets, with operations and investments in 22 countries.