VANCOUVER - Premier Gordon Campbell presented 15 B.C. high school students with Premier's Excellence Awards today, to recognize their academic achievements and outstanding community service.

"The Premier's Excellence Awards are presented to outstanding young British Columbians to recognize their achievements as students and as model citizens, and I congratulate each of them on their successes to date," Premier Campbell said. "The students we honour today inspire a sense of confidence in B.C.'s youth and their abilities to reach even higher to pursue their goals."

Each of the 2006 award winners received a scholarship for $15,000 to attend a public post-secondary institution in B.C., along with a commemorative medallion. In December 2005, the provincial government tripled the amount of the scholarships from $5,000 to $15,000 - the first time the amount of the award had been increased since it was established in 1986. To date, the awards program has distributed $1.9 million to 313 exceptional students across B.C.

"The students receiving these scholarships are the leaders of tomorrow and have already made tremendous contributions to their communities," said Advanced Education Minister Murray Coell. "The awards will help them reach their education goals, so they can continue to make an even greater impact on our province and the world as a whole."

Premier's Excellence Awards are presented annually to honour the top all-around graduating high school student in each of B.C.'s 15 geographical college regions. Students are nominated by their high school principals and must be enrolled full-time at one of British Columbia's public post-secondary institutions. To be eligible, students must demonstrate academic excellence in grades 11 and 12 and be involved in extracurricular activities in their schools and communities.

A selection committee, including representatives from the ministries of Advanced Education, Education, and Employment and Income Assistance and from the University of Victoria, reviews the list of nominees each year, and chooses 15 students to receive the award.