For the first time in the history of the National Burglar & Fire Alarm Association (NBFAA) Youth Scholarship Award program, two students have tied for first place. Jordan Biltoft, Spokane, Wash. and Ryan Patton, Yorba Linda, Calif., were this year’s winners and will receive $5,000 each.

Scholarship recipients are chosen on a combination of academic achievement, national test scores, extracurricular participation and an essay on “How Your Father, Mother or Guardian Helps Us Secure Our Community.”

Biltoft, son of fire equipment operator Leigh Biltoft, and a graduate of East Valley High School, plans to attend Eastern Washington University.

A graduate of Esperanza High School in Anaheim, Calif., Patton is the son of Charles Patton, deputy sheriff for Orange County, Calif. He plans to attend Stanford University.

Created in 1996 to promote goodwill among the electronic systems industry and police and fire officials, this program provides college scholarship awards to deserving sons and daughters of police and fire officials.