Final Winners of NY College Scholarship Vaccine Incentive Program Are Revealed

Gov. Andrew Cuomo unveiled a college scholarship program in late May to incentivize kids age 12 to 17 (and their parents) to get vaccinated.

He raffled off 10 full, four-year rides to any SUNY or CUNY university -- valued at around $100 apiece -- each Wednesday through June 30 to kids in that age group who got at least one dose before that date or who got one prior to the launch.

Nearly 150,000 young people had gotten vaccinated between Cuomo's initial announcement and last week, up from 49,000 in the week leading up to the very first drawing. More than 33% of New York kids age 12 to 15 (the state doesn't break out 12 to 17 as one age group) have had at least one dose to date, while more than a quarter have completed their vaccine series.

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Here are all the weekly winners, along with their place or county of residence, in order of the rounds in which they were selected:

Round 1

Jack Lucchesi, Victor (Ontario County)
Charlotte D'Agostino, Bronx
Ariana Nasr, Bayside (Queens County)
Adam Judson, Albany County
Jack McAuliffe, Chazy (Clinton County)
Hannah Lee, Westbury (Nassau County)
Chase French, Penfield (Monroe County)
Liam Burke, Westchester County
Peter Smith, Syracuse (Onondaga County)
Bai Tang Jiang, Queens

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Gov. Andrew Cuomo said Tuesday that 70% of adults in New York have received at least one dose of a coronavirus vaccine, a threshold he said the state would celebrate by easing many of its remaining social distancing rules and shooting off fireworks. NBC New York's Ida Siegal reports.

Round II

• Ella Campbell, Erie County
• Emily Ghim, Queens
• Jayce Leclere, Westchester County
• Reed Livoti, Westchester County
• Natalia Low, Suffolk County
• Liam Murphy, Manhattan
• Carrie Ng, Brooklyn
• Jack Szydlo, Monroe County
• Jasmine Thalon, Nassau County
• Isabella Wolcott, Steuben County

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Round III

• Kelly Moscoso-Yanes, Nassau County
• Victoria Romero, Nassau County
• Niaja Land, Brooklyn
• Jordan Gallusser, Otsego County
• Emily Brodsky, Suffolk County
• Nicholas Keirstead, Monroe County
• Brian Hoffman, Erie County
• Aleksander Sosa, Suffolk County
• Madison Pennington, Erie County
• Ryan Hsu, Queens

Though coronavirus case counts have gone up in states that have reopened, the uptick is slight thanks to the vaccines, says Dr. John Torres. More people with antibodies against COVID-19 means fewer cases and chances to spread to others.

Round IV

Madeline Nokland, Orange County
Tejveer Singh, Suffolk County
Isabella Weber, Suffolk County
Audrey Park, Saratoga County
Samantha Spadaro, Dutchess County
Brett Montevecchio, Monroe County
Ford Morrison, Erie County
Emilio Nabi Brau, Brooklyn
Gabrielle Fiedderman, Tioga County
Ivy Bloomfield, Brooklyn

With the end of the pandemic in sight, we’re all beginning to contemplate what it will be like to return to our normal lives. But it’s not going to be easy for everyone. For many people, social anxiety may keep them on the sidelines, even after the danger of the coronavirus has passed. NBCLX storyteller Eric Rodriguez explores life after the pandemic.

Round V

• Yueqi Diao, Broome County
• Cristopher Tejada, Queens
• Sawyer Pineda, Westchester County
• James Robinson IV, Cayuga County
• Ben Lesher, Westchester County
• Amaya Thalappillil, Nassau County
• Bryce Chua, Queens
• Paige Geary, Monroe County
• Talia Campbell, Westchester County
• Kailey Annesi, Monroe County

"Getting vaccinated is the key to our success defeating COVID-19 and restoring the economy, and this extraordinary incentive for the state's young people has helped us put shots in arms across New York," Cuomo said in a statement as he revealed the final group of winners on Wednesday. "This life-changing opportunity has helped us spread the word to an important demographic—12- to 17-year-olds—about the importance of getting vaccinated. I congratulate this week's winners and look forward to seeing them thrive in our state."