Winners of the AXA Achievment (sm) Scholarship 2006

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Scholarships & Grants
Winners of the AXA Achievment (sm) Scholarship 2006
By US News and World Reports & AXA
Apr 10, 2006, 10:06am

New York, NY, April 10, 2006 — The national winners of this year’s AXA Achievement Scholarship will be featured in U.S.News & World Report in its Short-Term College Financing issue, available on newsstands April 10. The 52 high school winners – from all 50 states, Washington, D.C. and Puerto Rico – will be awarded a total of $670,000. This is the flagship program of AXA Achievementsm, through which AXA Equitable is one of the nation's largest corporate providers of scholarships.

“U.S.News is thrilled to continue our strong relationship with AXA. As a recognized leader in the field, U.S.News prides itself on its commitment to America’s youth and the advancement of their education, and we are happy to draw attention to these extraordinary young achievers,” said Bill Holiber, President of U.S.News & World Report.

All 52 winners will receive a one-time scholarship award of $10,000 each. In addition, 10 of the 52 students have been selected as national winners, earning an additional scholarship of $15,000, a laptop and an offer of internship with AXA. These students set and reach goals, and have demonstrated drive and determination, the ability to succeed in college, and respect for self, family and community.

The ten national winners are:

Evan Alicuben, Hilo, HI - Evan created a project to purchase emergency response systems for senior citizens in his community and was awarded a $10,000 grant with which he paid for all installations.
Alyssa Allende Motz, Highlands Ranch, CO - Alyssa created CHAMPS, a community service club that matches students with volunteer opportunities.
Alisa Grant, Lakeland, FL - Alisa created ‘Books with Vision’ for visually impaired students so they could also enjoy illustrations in their Braille books as part of their reading experience.
Alexander Gribov, Mayfield Heights, OH - Evan founded PRIDE: People Recognizing International Diversity and Ethnicities, a culture club sponsoring tolerance and diversity seminars for students.
Ashley Gunn, Brandon, MI - Ashley founded SAIF, Students Aiding Indigent Families, a non-profit charity that provides housing for the inner-city poor in her community.
Laura Huppert, Piedmont, CA - Laura created a summer science learning project for children.
Geneva Johnson, Bronx, NY - Geneva created a non-profit, youth-service organization in the Bronx called Bring It On to encourage community service, leadership and civic engagement among low-income, disadvantaged youth.
Daniel Nally, Westwood, MA - At the age of nine, Daniel began a non-profit organization called Turkeys 4 America, which provides turkeys to needy families at Thanksgiving, and has served over 2.4 million people so far.
Michael Puente, Jr., Kenner, LA - As the editor of his school newspaper in Louisiana, Michael got permission to produce his paper on the internet from his new school in Houston so his classmates could remain connected after being scattered by Hurricane Katrina.
Logan Skelley, Joplin, MO - Logan created a program called ‘Canned Heat,’ which provides assistance with winter fuel bills for people with financial needs.

This is the fourth year in which the AXA Foundation, the philanthropic arm of AXA Equitable, has announced this scholarship program through U.S.News. By partnering with U.S.News, AXA can reach parents and students who rely on the magazine’s preeminent education franchise for college guidance. Each year, the scholarship opportunity is announced in U.S.News’ America’s Best Colleges issue in the fall, and the winners are announced in the spring.

About AXA Foundation The AXA Foundation is the philanthropic arm of AXA Equitable, one of the world's premier financial services organizations and a member of the global AXA Group, a leader in financial protection and wealth management. The Foundation directs the company's philanthropic and volunteer activities, working to improve the quality of life in communities across the country where AXA has a presence. Since 2002, the AXA Foundation has awarded over $13 million in college scholarships through its multifaceted flagship program, AXA Achievement, which provides young people with the advice and access necessary to succeed in college and beyond. More than 2,300 students, known as AXA Achievers, have received scholarships. For more information and to read about the 2006 AXA Achievers, visit www.axa-achievement.com.

About U.S.News & World Report

U.S.News & World Report is a weekly national newsmagazine devoted to investigative journalism and reporting and analyzing national and international affairs, politics, business, health, science, technology, and social trends. Through its annual rankings of America's Best Colleges, Best Graduate Schools, Best Hospitals and America’s Best Health Plans, and its News You Can Use™ brand, U.S.News has earned a reputation as the leading provider of service news and information that improves the quality of life of its readers. Available online at www.usnews.com, U.S.News was recently named the most credible newsweekly by the Pew Research Center for the People and the Press.