Bell Atlantic Awards Education Connections Scholarship To Wheeling Park High Student

Bell Atlantic Awards Education Connections Scholarship To Wheeling Park High Student

June 4, 1997

WHEELING, W.Va. - A Wheeling Park High School senior has won a
four-year scholarship from Bell Atlantic-West Virginia, Inc. as part
of its Education Connections program, which was created especially for
children of Bell Atlantic employees working in West Virginia.

Robert Douglas Falck, son of Doug and Deborah Falck from Wheeling,
will receive $2,000 a year for four years toward college expenses,
according to Roy Terek, Bell Atlantic area manager for northern West
Virginia.

In addition to Falck, Bell Atlantic awarded Education Connections
scholarships to Kaitlin Lane Hillenbrand from Charleston Catholic High
School; Natalie Ann Hale from Logan High School, and Justin Michael
Lawrence from South Harrison High School in Lost Creek. Seven other
students received one-time, $500 stipends to offset college expenses.

"We're proud of these scholars' achievements, and we're pleased that
our Education Connections program will help them reach their academic
goals as they enter college," said Terek. "Bell Atlantic has a strong
record of providing support to education in West Virginia, and
Education Connections continues to be a key component in our overall
education support program. It's also one of the most gratifying for
our company and employees."

Falck finished fifth in his class of 444 at Wheeling Park, with a
4.6491 cumulative grade point average. A National Honor Society,
Academic Quiz Bowl and Key Club member, Falck attended Boys' State and
received awards in chemistry. He also volunteers as an usher for the
Wheeling Symphony. Falck plans to major in aerospace and mechanical
engineering.

Criteria used in determining this year's winners included overall
grade point average [GPA], combined GPA in science, mathematics,
English and social studies; a student's 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
graduation requirements and students' knowledge upon graduation.

Judges for this year's Education Connections program were Dr. John
Carrier, president of the West Virginia Institute of Technology in
Montgomery; Dr. Travis Kirkland, president of Southern West Virginia
Community and Technical College, and Dr. Robert Moore, president of
Bluefield State College.

Bell Atlantic Corp. (NYSE: BEL) is at the forefront of the new
communications, entertainment and information industry. In the
mid-Atlantic region, the company's telephone company subsidiaries are
the premier providers of local telecommunications and advanced
services. Globally, it is one of the largest investors in the
high-growth wireless communication marketplace. Bell Atlantic also
owns a substantial interest in Telecom Corporation of New Zealand and
is actively developing high-growth national and international business
opportunities in all phases of the industry.