Abington Heights

Marilyn Pryle, a world literature teacher from Abington Heights High School, would use the prize money to strengthen available resources for the region's refugee community.

Many recently-graduated high school seniors committed to their choice of higher education. For a select group in Northeast Pennsylvania, their next steps are to the United States Military Service Academies. The process to be accepted into an academy is extensive and highly competitive. They need a congressional nomination. If accepted, or “appointed,” college is paid for with the requirement that they serve in the military for five years after graduation.

The Catherine McAuley Center in Scranton wasn’t necessarily looking for computers. That’s until a group of Abington Heights High School students reached out. Now the nonprofit has updated technology to better serve people in need.

The Lackawanna County high school beat a team from Texas to win top honors.