PORTLAND – One hundred thirty recent Maine high school graduates have been chosen as Mitchell Scholars this year, from a pool of more than 1,000 applicants, the Mitchell Institute announced Wednesday.

The Mitchell Institute provides scholarships to Maine residents beginning their first year of postsecondary education. A Mitchell Scholar is chosen annually from each public high school in Maine. The scholarships are awarded on the basis of academic potential, community service and financial need.

During each year of full-time enrollment toward a postsecondary degree, the Mitchell Institute provides scholarship recipients with $1,000 or a maximum amount of $4,000. Students who attend two-year colleges and then decide to further their education at a four-year college will retain their scholarship for a total of four years.

For the first time this year, KeyBank has provided funding for 16 Mitchell Scholarships (one for each county in Maine) in the amount of $6,000 each or $1,500 each year. These awards are targeted to first-generation college students.

One member from the new class of Mitchell Scholars has been selected as the 2003 Buzz Fitzgerald-Bath Iron Works Pioneer Mitchell Scholar. Zacharie Boyce of Parkman, a recent graduate of Piscataquis Community High School, was awarded this distinction in recognition of his leadership qualities.

Sixty-eight percent of the new class of Mitchell Scholars come from families with less than $5,000 available from their own resources to contribute to the student’s college education, and 60 percent of the Mitchell Scholars selected in 2003 come from families where neither parent holds a four-year college degree, according to a press release.

In addition to financial assistance, Mitchell Scholars gain access to Mitchell Institute support programs, which include community service projects, leadership and professional development, mentoring opportunities, and summer employment fellowships.

2003 Mitchell Scholars

$1,000 per year for up to four years

Ashland Community High School, Robin, Caron, Portage.

Biddeford High School, Ponnila Samuel, Biddeford.

Bonny Eagle High School, Stephen Avery, Hollis.

Boothbay Region High School, Karin Iuzzolino, Boothbay.

Brewer High School, Ivy Carter, Orrington.

Brunswick High School, Rory Murphy, Brunswick.

Buckfield High School, Justin Kangas, Sumner.

Bucksport High School, Gunner Siverly, Stockton Springs.

Calais High School, Noel Brennan, Robbinston.

Camden Hills High School, Brittany Quinn, Rockport.

Cape Elizabeth High School, Christopher Thompson, Cape Elizabeth.

Caribou High School, Jessica Belhumeur, Stockholm.

Carrabec High School, Melinda Knowles, New Portland.

Central Aroostook High School, Eric Davis Bridgewater.

Central High School, Ashley Ahmed, Bradford.

Cony High School, Danielle Doyon, Augusta.

Deering High School, Daniel Hackett, Portland.

Dexter Regional High School, Amanda Pullen, Dexter.

Dirigo High School, Billie Jo Putnam, Peru.

East Grand School, Amanda Godley, Brookton.

Easton High School, Krystyna Pytlak, Presque Isle.

Edward Little High School, Robert Guerette, Auburn.

Ellsworth High School, Jennifer Hodgkins, Ellsworth.

Erskine Academy, Katherine Boynton, Whitefield.

Falmouth High School, Stacey Irek, New Gloucester.

Forest Hills Consolidated School, Timothy Tapley, Jackman.

Fort Fairfield High School, Brandy Egan, Fort Fairfield.

Fort Kent Community High School, Olivia Cyr, Fort Kent.

Foxcroft Academy, Jana Sickles, Barnard Township.

Freeport High School, David Lapointe, Durham.

Fryeburg Academy, Dakotah Woitko, Fryeburg.

Gardiner Area High School, Michael Reutershan, Gardiner.

George Stevens Academy, Kate Durost, Bucksport.

Georges Valley High School, Joshua Doubleday, Thomaston.

Gray-New Gloucester High School, April Stansfield, New Gloucester.

Greely High School, Cherry Parker, Cumberland.

Hall-Dale High School, Lindsay Choate, Farmingdale.

Hampden Academy, Gabrielle Schrage, Hampden.

Hermon High School, Chelsea Schreiber, Hermon.

Hodgdon High School, Heather Martin, North Amity.

Houlton High School, Brianna Rush, Hammond.

Islesboro Central School, Melissa Johnston, Islesboro.

Jay High School, Ryan Franchetti, Jay.

John Bapst Memorial High School, Brittany Leeman, Eddington.

Jonesport-Beals High School, Kendra Look, Beals.

Katahdin High School, Dale Goodman, Patten.

Kennebunk High School, June Yeung, Kennebunk.

Lake Region High School, Ephrem Paraschak, Naples.

Lawrence High School, Hilary Thibodeau, Fairfield.

Leavitt Area High School, Melissa Veilleux, Greene.

Lee Academy, Chris Osgood, Kingman.

Lewiston High School, Katie Morin, Lewiston.

Liberty School, Emily Paquin, Ellsworth.

Limestone Community High School, Rachel Hardwick, Limestone.

Lincoln Academy, Joshua Kierstead, Jefferson.

Livermore Falls High School, Tracy Allen, Livermore Falls.

Lubec Consolidated School, Allison Parker, Lubec.

Machias Memorial High School, Ashley Whitman, Machias.

Madison Memorial High School, Monica Phillips, Anson.

Maine Central Institute, Lindsay DiPasquale, Pittsfield.

Maine School of Science and Mathematics, Katherine Porter, Van Buren.

Maranacook Community School, Dana Trafton, Manchester.

Marshwood High School, Holly Johnson, Eliot.

Massabesic High School, Kristen James, West Newfield.

Mattanawcook Academy, Michael LeBrun, Lincoln.

Messalonskee High School, Charles Stratton Jr., Belgrade.

Monmouth Academy, Rebekah Bubier, Monmouth.

Morse High School, Rebecca White, Georgetown.

Mount Abram High School, Raechell Luce, Strong.

Mount Blue High School, Emma Carlson, Farmington.

Mount Desert Island High School, Ryan Colbeth, Mariaville.

Mount View High School, Mary Leaming, Thorndike.

Mountain Valley High School, Jessica Hanson, Rumford.

Narraguagus High School, Anna Hammond, Harrington.

Noble High School, John Hadwen IV, North Berwick.

Nokomis Regional High School, Lance Trafton, Newport.

North Haven Community School, Molly Hopkins, North Haven.

Oak Hill High School, Nicholas Blais, Litchfield.

Old Orchard Beach High School, Alexander Chou, Old Orchard Beach.

Old Town High School, Lauren Brown, Stillwater.

Orono High School, Melissa Leture, Glenburn.

Penobscot Valley High School, Kathryn Priest, Howland.

Penquis Valley High School, Brett Gerrish, Brownville.

Piscataquis Community High School, Zacharie Boyce, Parkman.

Poland Regional High School, Felicia Gray, Minot.

Portland High School, Nahida Sayed, Portland.

Presque Isle High School, Heather Griffin, Presque Isle.

Richmond High School, Melissa Beckwith ,Richmond.

Rockland District High School, Karina Snow, Spruce Head.

Sacopee Valley High School, Peggy Shannon-Baker, Porter.

Sanford High School, Anthony Ezzo, Sanford.

Scarborough High School, Joshua Galyean, Scarborough.

Schenck High School, Michael Rossignol, Medway.

Searsport High School, Pauline Vasiliauskas, Searsport.

Shead High School, Nadine Bouchard, Eastport.

South Portland High School, Kasia Park, South Portland.

Southern Aroostook Community School, Nichole Lyons, Oakfield.

Stearns High School, Jacqueline Cesare, Millinocket.

Sumner Memorial High School, Andrew Young, Corea.

Telstar High School, Adam Tanguay, Albany Township.

Traip Academy, Daniel Pearson, Kittery Point.

Upper Kennebec Valley High School, Daniel Kiger, Moscow.

Van Buren District Secondary School, Tabitha Rosten, Van Buren.

Washburn District High School, Kristi Fitzpatrick, Washburn.

Washington Academy, Andrea Govoni, Cutler.

Wells High School, Marissa Ragonesi, Acton.

Westbrook High School, Hadje Esmiller, Westbrook.

Windham High School, Jenessa Vance, Windham.

Winslow High School, Jamie Routhier, Waterville.

Winthrop High School, Kristin Pietroski, Winthrop.

Wiscasset High School, Elizabeth Delano, Wiscasset.

Wisdom High School, Jacob Pelletier, Frenchville.

Yarmouth High School, Christopher Hilton, Yarmouth.

York High School, Jennifer Acosta, York.

2003 KeyBank

Mitchell Scholars

$1,500 each year for up to four years

Bangor High School, Suong Nguyen, Bangor.

Belfast Area High School, Laura Merry, Belfast.

Deer Isle-Stonington High School, Robert Carter, Deer Isle.

Gorham High School, Nicholas Corbeau, Gorham.

Greenville High School, Daniel Campbell, Greenville.

Lisbon High School, Lucas Michaud, Lisbon.

Madawaska High School, James Beaupre, Madawaska.

Medomak Valley High School, Kendrick Jacqmin, Waldoboro.

Mount Ararat High School, Jessica Watson, Topsham.

Oxford Hills High School, Megan Bernard, Paris.

Rangeley High School, Sarah Drosdik, Rangeley.

Skowhegan High School, April Mack, Skowhegan.

Thornton Academy, Katie Bellerose, Saco.

Vinalhaven High School, Keeley McCarthy, Vinalhaven.

Waterville High School, Mistie Bickford, Waterville.

Woodland High School, Tyler Townsend, Baileyville.