County student awarded McCain Group scholarship

    LISLE, Ill. — Ashton Carmichael, a 2011 graduate of Houlton High School, is one of five U.S. winners of the 2011 McCain Group Scholarships. He is the son of Gregory Carmichael, a poly operator at the McCain Foods USA plant in Easton.
    In addition to his academic achievements and his passion for art, Carmichael participated in numerous volunteer efforts in his community. He plans to become an English teacher.
    The 2011 McCain Group Scholarships have been awarded to 10 children of McCain Group employees from the United States and Canada. Each of the 10 scholarship winners attending university will receive a total of $16,000, or $4,000 a year over the next four years. Students who enroll in a two-year technical or nursing program will receive $9,500 split over the next two years.
    Scholarship winners are selected based on their scholastic achievement, extra-curricular activities, financial need, an essay, and a personal interview. More than $2 million in scholarships have been awarded since the program began and more than half of all scholarship winners have continued their education to earn advanced master’s degrees and doctorates.