Benjamin Neudorfer, a 2007 Butler High School graduate, is the recipient of a $1,000 scholarship from the Golden Tornado Scholastic Foundation that is provided by Amerikohl Mining Inc.

In high school, he completed a College Tech Prep program in engineering-related technologies.

He is a freshman pursuing a degree in mechanical engineering technology at Penn State Behrend in Erie.

He is the son of John and Kim Neudorfer of Butler.

The Amerikohl Technical Scholarship was established through the foundation for Butler graduates who have completed their first semester of their freshman year in college or technical school, and who are pursuing a technical career.

This is the first year the scholarship has been awarded, but Amerikohl has committed $5,000 to award five scholarships next year.

Scholarship applications are available in the high school guidance office and should be submitted at the end of the first freshman semester, but not later than Jan. 31, 2009.

Amerikohl Mining Inc. wants to assist students who excel in the technical side of academia, which it considers important in the global economy.