Ronald McDonald House Charities® New York Tri-State Area Awards $80,000 to Five Area High School Seniors

Ronald McDonald House Charities^® New York Tri-State Area awards college scholarships to five exceptional area high school graduates as part of its General Scholars scholarship program to provide college tuition assistance to promising students.

Ronald McDonald House Charities^® New York Tri-State Area will award college scholarships to five exceptional high school graduates as part of its General Scholars scholarship program to provide college tuition assistance to promising students. Winners will receive a total of $16,000 ($4,000 per year) over the course of their four-year college career. In total, RMHC-NYTSA will award $700,000 in new, four-year scholarships to 43 area students across all four of its scholarship programs in 2014, reinforcing RMHC's commitment to advancing education and supporting young people in our communities.

General Scholars program recipients were selected based on demonstrated academic achievement, financial need, and community involvement. The 2014 General Scholars award winners are exemplary students and citizens from throughout the New York Tri-State area:

• Giacoma Bonello (Brooklyn) will attend New York University
• Magdalena Kepa (Linden, New Jersey) will attend Stevens Institute of Technology
• Nancy Lin (Flushing) will attend Sophie Davis School of Biomedical Education
• Taylor Moss (Howard Beach) will attend the College of the Holy Cross
• Tara Tardino (Massapequa) will attend Cornell University

"The hard work, dedication, and commitment to education and community service exemplified by these remarkable students is exactly what the Ronald McDonald House Charities Scholars program stands for," said Christopher Perry, executive director of Ronald McDonald House Charities New York Tri-State Area. "I am extremely proud of what these students have accomplished, and we know they will continue to achieve great things in the future."

The five recipients will be recognized for their achievements at an upcoming Ronald McDonald House Charities Scholars luncheon taking place Wednesday, July 30 at the Ronald McDonald House of New York. The students and their families will be joined by RMHC-NYTSA Scholars selection committee members, local public officials, and Ronald McDonald to celebrate their achievements.

RMHC-NYTSA offers graduating high school seniors from local communities the chance to apply for college tuition assistance through its four scholarship programs: the RMHC/Asian-Pacific Students Increasing Achievement Scholarship, the RMHC/African American Future Achievers Scholarship, the RMHC/Hispanic American Commitment to Educational Resources Scholarship, and the RMHC General Scholars Scholarship (to which students of all ethnicities are eligible to apply). To be eligible for the scholarship awards, applicants had to be graduating high school seniors planning to attend a two- or four-year college or university with a complete course of study. Applicants must be legal U.S. residents, younger than 21-years-old, and must reside within the geographical boundaries of the participating RMHC New York Tri-State Area.

RMHC began its support of scholarship programs in 1985 by committing $50,000 toward its first scholarships, which were awarded through the Hispanic American Commitment to Educational Resources program. In 2001, the RMHC/ASIA and RMHC African American Future Achievers Scholarships began. Since 1985, more than $44 million in scholarships have been awarded by U.S. Chapters and RMHC Global.

About Ronald McDonald House Charities of the New York Tri-State Area:

For over 20 years, Ronald McDonald House Charities New York Tri-State Area has been creating, finding, and supporting programs that directly improve the health and well-being of children. Their signature programs include scholarships to help provide access to a college education for students who need and earn it, and community grants to support a variety of local children's charities in the areas of medicine, crisis intervention, social and civic services, education, and the arts. The organization also provides needed support to five Ronald McDonald Houses, which are "homes away from home" allowing families to be with their hospitalized children for extended periods of time. For further information, please visit www.rmhcnytristate.org or call 732.623.8549.