RICHLAND, Wash. – Washington River Protection Solutions (WRPS) awarded scholarships to five high school seniors as part of the company’s Family Scholarship program.  All of the recipients are children of WRPS employees.

Each student received a $2,000 scholarship.  The winners were selected on the basis of leadership, scholastic achievement and community service.

Dave Olson, WRPS president and project manager, praised the students for their accomplishments and recognized their parents for the commitment they have made to their child’s education.

“The scholarships are an excellent way for us to reward students for their hard work in the classroom and their involvement in school and community activities,” Olson said.  “We also realize their achievements would not be possible without the support of their parents.  We are pleased to contribute to their continuing education.”

The 2015 WRPS Family Scholarship winners are:

Todd Bowers, the son of WRPS employee David Bowers and his wife, Lori Bowers.  Todd is a graduate of Richland High School.  He plans to attend Brigham Young University and major in biology.

Carrie Keller, the daughter of WRPS employee Roger Keller. Carrie is a graduate of Bishop Gorman High School in Las Vegas.  She plans to attend Barrett, The Honors College at Arizona State University and major in biology and/or law.

Patrick O’Toole, the son of WRPS employee Steven O’Toole and his wife, Colleen O’Toole.  Patrick is a graduate of Hanford High School.  He plans to attend the University of Southern California and major in economics and/or finance.

Liliana Rasmussen, the daughter of WRPS employee Juergen Rasmussen and his wife, Hongfei Zha Rasmussen.  Liliana is a graduate of Hanford High School.  She plans to attend the University of Washington and major in economics, computer science or engineering.

David Thien, the son of WRPS employee Mike Thien and his wife, Kristi Thien.  David is a graduate of Chiawana High School.  He plans to attend the University of Washington and major in computer science.

Supporting education in the community is a high priority for WRPS.  It regularly contributes to Washington State University Tri-Cities, Columbia Basin College and a variety of other science, technology, engineering and math education programs.

About WRPS
WRPS, owned by AECOM and EnergySolutions, with integrated subcontractor AREVA, is a prime contractor to the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of River Protection.  WRPS is responsible for managing and reducing the risk posed by the waste stored in Hanford’s aging underground tanks.