The Provincial Government has awarded $202,500 in scholarships to 201 high school graduates. The scholarships range in value from $1,000 to $2,500 and are used to help students pursue post-secondary education. Recipients are chosen based on public examination results.

"I offer my congratulations to each of these talented individuals," said the Honourable Joan Burke, Minister of Education. "They will no doubt continue to excel as they pursue life after high school and I am pleased we are able to provide this additional support to help fund their post-secondary education."

The Junior Jubilee Scholarship, valued at $2,500, is awarded to the student who attains the highest overall scholarship score. This year�s recipient is Maggie Fitzgerald, a graduate of Gonzaga High School in St. John�s.

The Constable W.C. Moss Scholarship is awarded to the son or daughter of a member of the Royal Newfoundland Constabulary or the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (active, retired, or deceased) who, other than the Junior Jubilee winner, achieved the highest scholarship score. This year�s recipient of the $1,000 scholarship is Jillian Walsh, a graduate of Holy Spirit High School in Manuels.

The Provincial Government also awards $1,000 Electoral District Scholarships to the three high school graduates in each district who achieved the highest scholarship score. Another 55 students have received the Centenary of Responsible Government Scholarship which is also based on the scholarship score and valued at $1,000.

These scholarships complement the many initiatives introduced in recent years by the Williams Government to make post-secondary education more affordable and accessible. Over $30 million has been invested to support a four-year freeze on tuition rates, $12.4 million has been invested this year to fund up-front, non-repayable grants, and $3.7 million is being invested annually to reduce the interest rate on student loans from prime plus 2.5 per cent to prime.

"Reducing student debt is one of the primary goals of our government," said Minister Burke. "We are committed to affordable and accessible education. We want our graduates to have a future here in Newfoundland and Labrador � a future that allows them to fully put their skills to use without the burden of a heavy debt load. Low tuition, up-front grants and scholarships such as these all contribute to reduced debt, and ultimately to a successful future for these bright young women and men."

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Media contact:

Jacquelyn Howard
Director of Communications
Department of Education
709-729-0048, 689-2624
jacquelynhoward@gov.nl.ca

Electoral District Scholarship
BAIE VERTE � SPRINGDALE
          BUTT, CASSANDRA                           INDIAN RIVER HIGH SCHOOL
          HOWARD, THOMAS                           BAIE VERTE COLLEGIATE
          COISH, NICHOLAS                             INDIAN RIVER HIGH SCHOOL

BAY OF ISLANDS
          OTTO, JOSEPH                                  TEMPLETON ACADEMY
          SHEPPARD, RYAN                            CORNER BROOK REGIONAL HIGH
          HACKETT, JESSICA                           CORNER BROOK REGIONAL HIGH

BELLEVUE
          JONES, SAMANTHA                           CRESCENT COLLEGIATE
          COURTNEY, BRITTNEY                      TRICENTIA ACADEMY
          SMITH, LESLEY                                 CRESCENT COLLEGIATE

BONAVISTA NORTH
          BATSTONE, SAMANTHA                     LESTER PEARSON MEMORIAL HIGH
          PARSONS, RYAN                               LESTER PEARSON MEMORIAL HIGH
          WARREN, JULIE                                 RIVERWOOD ACADEMY

BONAVISTA SOUTH
          MOSS, ERICA                                    HERITAGE COLLEGIATE
          DONOVAN, JILLIAN                            DISCOVERY COLLEGIATE
          PEARCE, MICHELLE                          DISCOVERY COLLEGIATE

BURGEO - LA POILE
          SCAPLEN, KEVIN                              ST. JAMES REGIONAL HIGH SCHOOL
          JAMES, ALYSSA                               GRANDY'S RIVER COLLEGIATE
          SHEAVES, NIKITA                             ST. JAMES REGIONAL HIGH SCHOOL

BURIN - PLACENTIA WEST
          GREENE, HELENA                            MARYSTOWN CENTRAL HIGH SCHOOL
          TAYLOR, GRANT                               MARYSTOWN CENTRAL HIGH SCHOOL
          PERRY, VICTORIA                             MARYSTOWN CENTRAL HIGH SCHOOL

CAPE ST. FRANCIS
          PANSARE, NIKHIL                             HOLY HEART OF MARY REG HIGH
          DEVEREAUX, ALYSSA                      GONZAGA HIGH SCHOOL
          FURLONG, KAYLA                            HOLY TRINITY REGIONAL HIGH

CARBONEAR - HARBOUR GRACE
          COLBOURNE, GINA                          CARBONEAR COLLEGIATE
          RALPH, VICTORIA                             CARBONEAR COLLEGIATE
          PENNEY, JENELLE                           CARBONEAR COLLEGIATE

CARTWRIGHT - L'ANSE AU CLAIR
          NICHOLS, COURTNEY                       ST. MARY'S ALL-GRADE
          BUTT, ROBBIE                                   BASQUE MEMORIAL
          BUCKLE, BARRY                               MOUNTAIN FIELD ACADEMY

CONCEPTION BAY EAST - BELL ISLAND
          RANDELL, NICHOLAS                        HOLY SPIRIT HIGH SCHOOL
          BENNETT, VANESSA                         PRINCE OF WALES COLLEGIATE
          LANNON, MEGAN                              HOLY SPIRIT HIGH SCHOOL

CONCEPTION BAY SOUTH
          SIMMS, SARAH                                  GONZAGA HIGH SCHOOL
          COLLINS, MELISSA                            QUEEN ELIZABETH
          NIPPARD, JEFFREY                           HOLY SPIRIT HIGH SCHOOL

EXPLOITS
          BURT, CATHERINE                             BOTWOOD COLLEGIATE
          MORGAN, ALLAN                               LEO BURKE ACADEMY
          ANTLE, AMBER                                  LEO BURKE ACADEMY

FERRYLAND
          LEE, APRIL                                        ST. KEVIN'S HIGH SCHOOL
          STRATTON, SHANE                            ST. KEVIN'S HIGH SCHOOL
          PERRY, TRAVIS                                 STELLA MARIS ACADEMY

FORTUNE BAY - CAPE LA HUNE
          SOHI, RAMAN                                    JOHN WATKINS ACADMY
          NASH, SAMANTHA                             ST. PETER'S ALL-GRADE
          BULLEN, ANDREW                             FITZGERALD ACADEMY

GANDER
          CHEESEMAN, VANESSA                   GANDER COLLEGIATE
          PENTON, IAN                                     GANDER COLLEGIATE
          BEST, JACOB                                    GANDER COLLEGIATE

GRAND BANK
          DUNPHY, JONATHON                         HOLY NAME OF MARY ACADEMY
          MOULTON, LEA                                  MARYSTOWN CENTRAL HIGH SCHOOL
          LUNDRIGAN, JAMILYN                        ST. LAWRENCE ACADEMY

GRAND FALLS - WINDSOR-BUCHANS
          BRAGG, JOSHUA                               EXPLOITS VALLEY HIGH
          JANES, JILLIAN                                  EXPLOITS VALLEY HIGH
          SKINNER, DANIELLE                          EXPLOITS VALLEY HIGH

GRAND FALLS - WINDSOR-GREEN BAY SOUTH
          MERCIER, SINEAD                             EXPLOITS VALLEY HIGH
          BURT, MICHELLE                                EXPLOITS VALLEY HIGH
          NOEL, JAMIE                                      EXPLOITS VALLEY HIGH

HARBOUR MAIN
          CONSTANTINE, JONATHON                 QUEEN ELIZABETH
          BARTLETT, BRITTANY                         ASCENSION COLLEGIATE
          SIMMS, TRAVIS                                  ASCENSION COLLEGIATE

HUMBER EAST
          DUHART, TYLER                                 CORNER BROOK REGIONAL HIGH
          O'CONNOR, MEGAN                           CORNER BROOK REGIONAL HIGH
          O'CONNOR, DANIELLE                        CORNER BROOK REGIONAL HIGH

HUMBER VALLEY
          WHITE, CHRISTOPHER                       ELWOOD REGIONAL HIGH
          COLES, CHANTELL                             ELWOOD REGIONAL HIGH
          DOLOMOUNT, LINDSAY                      ELWOOD REGIONAL HIGH

HUMBER WEST
          KEEPING, SAMANTHA                       CORNER BROOK REGIONAL HIGH
          KALSI, HARMAN                                CORNER BROOK REGIONAL HIGH
          GASH, ROBERT                                 CORNER BROOK REGIONAL HIGH

KILBRIDE
          HYNES, VICTORIA                              O'DONEL HIGH SCHOOL
          HUTCHINGS, CAITLIN                          MOUNT PEARL SENIOR HIGH
          FITZPATRICK, SABRINA                      BISHOPS COLLEGE

LABRADOR WEST
          REID, LAUREN                                    MENIHEK HIGH SCHOOL
          PHILPOTT, ZONITA                              MENIHEK HIGH SCHOOL
          ARRUDA, SHENDA                              MENIHEK HIGH SCHOOL

LAKE MELVILLE
          BLAIR, NIKI                                          ERIC G. LAMBERT SCHOOL
          RYAN, VICTOR                                    MEALY MOUNTAIN COLLEGIATE
          BATTCOCK, AIMEE                             MEALY MOUNTAIN COLLEGIATE

LEWISPORTE
          BURT, MATTHEW                                 LEWISPORTE COLLEGIATE
          KEEPING, JESSICA                              LEWISPORTE COLLEGIATE
          WHITE, SCOTT                                     LEWISPORTE COLLEGIATE

MOUNT PEARL NORTH
          DROVER, MARCUS                              O'DONEL HIGH SCHOOL
          ORR, CATHERINE                                 MOUNT PEARL SENIOR HIGH
          PEACH, JEFFREY                                O'DONEL HIGH SCHOOL

MOUNT PEARL SOUTH
          GRANDY, VICTORIA                             O'DONEL HIGH SCHOOL
          QUINLAN, EMMA                                  O'DONEL HIGH SCHOOL
          DUCEY, ROBERT                                 O'DONEL HIGH SCHOOL

PLACENTIA - ST. MARY'S
          RYAN, AMY                                         DUNNE MEMORIAL ACADEMY
          PATTERSON, HEIDI                              LAVAL HIGH SCHOOL
          MULLALEY, VICTORIA                          LAVAL HIGH SCHOOL

PORT AU PORT
          BURKE, GABRIELLE                            STEPHENVILLE HIGH SCHOOL
          HANN, JONATHAN                               STEPHENVILLE HIGH SCHOOL
          ALEXANDER, MATTHEW                      STEPHENVILLE HIGH SCHOOL

PORT DE GRAVE
          FOWLER, KEVIN                                  ASCENSION COLLEGIATE
          POWER, STEPHEN                              ASCENSION COLLEGIATE
          LAWRENCE, STEVEN                          ASCENSION COLLEGIATE

SIGNAL HILL - QUIDI VIDI
          HOLLETT, GEOFFERY                          GONZAGA HIGH SCHOOL
          PIERSON, ROSANNA                            HOLY HEART HIGH SCHOOL
          BUCKINGHAM, LINDSAY                       HOLY HEART HIGH SCHOOL

ST. BARBE
          RYAN, CHRISTOPHER                           RONCALLI CENTRAL HIGH
          BAINES, NAKITA                                   VIKING TRAIL ACADEMY
          GOOSNEY, TWILA                                GROS MORNE ACADEMY

ST. GEORGE'S - STEPHENVILLE EAST
          BROWN, ASHLEY                                 APPALACHIA HIGH SCHOOL
          CUTLER, JILLISA                                   APPALACHIA HIGH SCHOOL
          O'QUINN, STEPHANIE                           STEPHENVILLE HIGH SCHOOL

ST. JOHN'S CENTRE
          TURPIN, MACKENZIE                            HOLY HEART HIGH SCHOOL
          SMITH, VICTORIA                                  HOLY HEART HIGH SCHOOL
          BISHOP, STEPHEN                               HOLY HEART HIGH SCHOOL

ST. JOHN'S EAST
          FEEHAN, DAVID                                    GONZAGA HIGH SCHOOL
          MUNN, ALEX                                          GONZAGA HIGH SCHOOL
          MCLEAN, JACKSON                               GONZAGA HIGH SCHOOL

ST. JOHN'S NORTH
          LEONARD, DANIELLE                             GONZAGA HIGH SCHOOL
          HOWSE, DANIEL                                    PRINCE OF WALES COLLEGIATE
          TUCKER, JACOB                                    BOOTH MEMORIAL HIGH SCHOOL

ST. JOHN'S SOUTH
          REYNOLDS, MARK                                 BOOTH MEMORIAL HIGH SCHOOL
          BRAGG, JORDAN                                    HOLY HEART HIGH SCHOOL
          KADERALI, SHALEEZA                            BOOTH MEMORIAL HIGH SCHOOL

ST. JOHN'S WEST
          HURLEY, MELANIE                                 ST. BONAVENTURE�S COLLEGE
          HOWLEY, ALISON                                  HOLY HEART HIGH SCHOOL
          BESAW, JESSICA                                  BISHOPS COLLEGE

TERRA NOVA
          BURRY, MARK                                       GLOVERTOWN ACADEMY
          PITTS, PAUL                                          HERITAGE COLLEGIATE
          BLACKMORE, SARAH                            GLOVERTOWN ACADEMY

THE ISLES OF NOTRE DAME
          ANSTEY, REEGAN                                J.M.OLDS COLLEGIATE
          ANSTEY, ALISHIA                                  NEW WORLD ISLAND ACADEMY
          PAYNE, SALLY                                      FOGO ISLAND CENTRAL ACADEMY

THE STRAITS - WHITE BAY NORTH
          O'RIELLY, LAURA                                  HARRIOT CURTIS COLLEGIATE
          WHITEWAY, CANDACE                         HARRIOT CURTIS COLLEGIATE
          BROMLEY, BRITTANY                           HARRIOT CURTIS COLLEGIATE