Toyota Awards $1 Million in Scholarships to 100 High School Seniors

Winners at top of class in both academics and community service

SAN ANTONIO, May 9 /PRNewswire/ -- Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc., (TMS) rewarded 100 high school seniors with $1 million in college scholarships for their commitment to education and community service at an awards banquet tonight.

The winners, who make up the 12th class of Toyota Community Scholars, were chosen from a pool of more than 8,000 students nationwide nominated by their schools. To be eligible, students must be proven leaders both in the classroom and in their communities.

Based on its accomplishments, the 2008 class learned at an early age that "giving back" to the community was not an obligation, but, rather, a way of life. As one Scholar, Jacob Rouse of Union, Ky., put it: "When helping others, an incredible feeling is instilled in your veins. This feeling allows you to believe you have meaning in the world."

For the 2008 class, their dreams of making a difference became reality through programs ranging from raising $120,000 for the American Cancer Society to collecting over 3,000 pounds of food that was distributed to youngsters at more than 160 schools. In addition, one scholar - a cancer survivor and amputee - has personally visited over 600 patients with the same afflictions, providing them with gift boxes.

"It is truly amazing to see what these 100 high school seniors have accomplished at such a young age," said Michael Rouse, TMS corporate manager of philanthropy and community affairs. "Their dedication both to academics and community service is an inspiration to all of us."

The scholarships are valued at $20,000 or $10,000 each, over four years, for study at a four-year college or university starting in the fall of 2008. Since the Toyota Community Scholars program began in 1997, TMS has awarded over $13 million in scholarships to 1,200 students across the U.S.

Kristen Allcorn, a Toyota Community Scholar from Sedalia, Mo., is a prime example of the dedication to community service exhibited by this year's class. As the founder of The Community Cafe, Allcorn and her group of volunteer students have provided over 11,000 free evening meals to needy residents in her hometown. Hot meals are served five nights a week, with plans to expand that to three meals each day, seven days a week.

All told, Allcorn and her group have raised over $13,000 to keep The Community Cafe operational.

Consequently, Allcorn, like many of the Scholars, found community service to be the roadmap to what she wants to do in the future. "I never imagined the impact The Community Cafe would have on my community or myself. The Community Cafe has influenced my career plans, and I have committed to living a life of service."

The Toyota Community Scholars program is administered by Educational Testing Services in Princeton, N.J. The 12 national winners ($20,000 each) and 88 regional winners ($10,000 each) were selected by a panel of college and university admissions officials from across the U.S.

The scholarship winners were guests of honor tonight at an awards banquet in San Antonio that was attended by education, community, business and government leaders. Liz Murray, subject of the Lifetime Television movie, From Homeless to Harvard, was the keynote speaker.

The two-and-a-half-day program included a tour of Toyota Motor Manufacturing, Texas, Inc., in San Antonio, which builds the Tundra full-size pickup truck. In addition, the Scholars enjoyed an authentic Texas BBQ dinner, with games, entertainment and dancing at the Rio Cibolo Ranch.

Toyota Motor Sales (TMS), U.S.A., Inc. is the marketing, sales, distribution and customer service arm of Toyota, Lexus and Scion in the United States, marketing products and services through a network of 1,427 Toyota, Lexus and Scion dealers in 49 states. Established in 1957, TMS and its subsidiaries also are involved in distribution logistics, motorsports, and research and development.

NOTE:
*A list of Toyota Community Scholars is attached.
*A "snapshot" of specific community service projects is attached.

*Upon request, digital photographs of individual Scholars can be sent electronically. Please e-mail request to: aeggers@guthriemayes.com.

2008 TOYOTA COMMUNITY SCHOLARS

CITY HIGH SCHOOL

ALABAMA
Nicole Bohannon Sheffield Sheffield High School

ALASKA
Ceylon Mitchell Anchorage East Anchorage High School

ARIZONA
Joanna Yang * Phoenix Desert Vista High School
Teri Yu Phoenix Desert Vista High School

ARKANSAS
Ashley Louks Judsonia Pangburn High School
Michelle Martin Jasper Jasper High School

CALIFORNIA
Albert Chen * Buena Park Oxford Academy
Theodore Gonder Glendale Crescenta Valley High School
Carlos Guzman Dinuba Dinuba High School
Monica Liu Rancho Palos Verdes Palos Verdes Peninsula High
School
Jasmine Nachtigall San Mateo Hillsdale High School
Rita Sandoval Desert Hot Springs Desert Hot Springs High School
Zachary Stauber Gold River Mira Loma High School
Gregory Woodburn Ventura Ventura Senior High School
Danni Xie Thousand Oaks Westlake High School

COLORADO
Bret Johnson Fountain Fountain Ft. Carson High
School
David Rolla Commerce City Adams City High School

CONNECTICUT
Laura Ly Shelton Shelton High School

DELAWARE
Virginia Nicholson Wilmington Tower Hill School

DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
Margaret Birkel Washington National Cathedral School

FLORIDA
David Akinin Miami Dr. Michael M. Krop Senior
High School
Sarah Hodges Leesburg First Academy
Lauren Rowe Gainesville Eastside High School
Bernadette Stocker Flagler Beach St. Joseph Academy

GEORGIA
Jordan Croom Marietta Walker School
Caterina Li Duluth Duluth High School
Kanya Manoj Duluth Woodward Academy
Laura Okolie Riverdale Riverdale High School

ILLINOIS
Maddelynn Hawkins Pinckneyville Pinckneyville Community High
School
Elena Holler Sherman Williamsville High School
Christine Mattappillil Glenview Glenbrook South High School
Kathleen McGlynn Belleville Althoff Catholic High School

INDIANA
Eric Majors Indianapolis Pike High School

IOWA
Briana McGeough Cedar Falls Cedar Falls High School

KANSAS
Nandini Sarma Overland Park Shawnee Mission East High
School

KENTUCKY
Deep Aggarwal Louisville Dupont Manual High School
Jacob Rouse * Union Larry A. Ryle High School

LOUISIANA
Danielle Axelson Bossier City Airline High School
Shanell Booker Monroe Wossman High School
Niharika Jain Shreveport Caddo Parish Magnet High
School

MAINE
Thomas Balch Newcastle Lincoln Academy

MARYLAND
Maria Sebastian * Boyds Northwest High School
Eric Weisberg Bethesda Walt Whitman High School
Xuemin Zhang Burtonsville Paint Branch High School

MASSACHUSETTS
Marie DeLuca Stow Nashoba Regional High School
Luke Fraser * Hopkinton Hopkinton High School

MICHIGAN
Casey Hoffman Menominee Menominee Area High School
Alexandra McGregor Waterford Waterford Kettering High
School
Mitchell Rivard Bay City Bay City Western High School

MINNESOTA
Shanna Decker * Plainview Plainview-Elgin-Millville High
School
Caitlin Johnson Rochester Century High School
Megan Sjostrom Lafayette GFW High School

MISSISSIPPI
Abigail Hardin * Clinton Jackson Academy
Lynice Higgins Hazlehurst Hazlehurst High School

MISSOURI
Kristen Allcorn * Sedalia Smith-Cotton High School
Lauren Lacey Troy Troy Buchanan High School
Kathleen Russell Webster Groves Cor Jesu Academy

MONTANA
Chelsea Brauer Forsyth Forsyth High School

NEBRASKA
Wayne Banks Bellevue Bellevue West Senior High
School
Keshav Rao Omaha Brownell-Talbot School

NEVADA
Brian Choe Las Vegas Advanced Technologies Academy

NEW HAMPSHIRE
Jeffrey McInnis Greenville Mascenic Regional High School

NEW JERSEY
Sharon Kim Fort Lee Bergen County Academies
John Monagle * Clark Arthur L. Johnson High School
Becky Moran Pleasantville Home schooled
Jolene Wang Piscataway Piscataway High School

NEW YORK
Eason Hahm Chestnut Ridge Spring Valley Senior High
School
Jason Mogen Dix Hills Half Hollow Hills High School
West
Nastasha Pollard Stony Point North Rockland High School
Brittany Robles Smithtown Smithtown High School West
Sheel Tyle Pittsford Pittsford Mendon High School

NORTH CAROLINA
Elizabeth Carney Charlotte Myers Park High School
Ryan Hollander Winston-Salem Forsyth Country Day School

NORTH DAKOTA
Alex Windjue West Fargo West Fargo High School

OHIO
Ann Cheng Cincinnati Walnut Hills High School
Jacob Potticary Loveland Loveland High School

OKLAHOMA
Carly Schnaithman Garber Garber High School

OREGON
Richie Day Salem South Salem Senior High School

PENNSYLVANIA
Christopher Shotter Monaca Monaca Junior/Senior High
School

SOUTH CAROLINA
Tyler Bridges Sumter Sumter High School
Graham Van Schaik * Columbia Spring Valley High School

SOUTH DAKOTA
Nicholas Stukel Burke Gregory High School

TENNESSEE
Sharda Fields Memphis Whitehaven High School
Caroline Hadley Knoxville Bearden High School
Chandler Lawson Tullahoma Tullahoma High School

TEXAS
Trevor Burbank * Flower Mound Flower Mound High School
Nicole Castro Keller Keller High School
Mark Hernandez Eagle Pass C.C. Winn High School
Marilyn Mootz Dallas Highland Park High School
Jasmine Thum Austin Liberal Arts & Science
Academy
Kavita Venkateswar San Antonio Winston Churchill High School

UTAH
Sydney Hartsell Salt Lake City Rowland Hall St. Mark's
School
VIRGINIA
Ian Akers Radford Radford High School
Ariel Talts Danville Galileo Magnet High School
Sydney Tenhundfeld Charlottesville Renaissance School

WASHINGTON
Erik Hille * Ritzville Ritzville High School
Sarah Klemsz Battle Ground Prairie High School
Brian Tolkin Mercer Island Mercer Island High School

WISCONSIN
Brittaney Check Wauwatosa Wauwatosa East High School
Rachael Lester Cedarburg Cedarburg Senior High School

* National winner - $20,000 scholarship

All others receive $10,000 scholarship

2008 TOYOTA COMMUNITY SCHOLARS
Community Service Snapshots

Following is a small sampling of community-service projects performed by the 2008 class of Toyota Community Scholars (more detail can be provided upon request; student interviews can also be arranged).

-- Surviving cancer and an amputation inspired this Scholar to found the
Hearts of Hope project, where she mentors and personally visits cancer
patients and amputees as they undergo treatments and/or recover from
limb loss. Over the past nine years, she has visited more than 600
patients, and dedicates more than 300 hours of service per year to
patients and their families. She funds the project herself with money
earned from a part-time job.
(Shanna Decker, Plainview, Minn.)

-- Founded The Community Cafe, a soup kitchen that has provided more than
11,000 meals to the needy. The Community Cafe has also raised more
than $13,000 from civic groups and individuals. Hot meals are
currently served five nights a week; the program also provides a
take-out meal service. This Scholar hopes to expand The Community Cafe
to offer meals three times each day, seven days a week to ease hunger
and help to relieve the financial strain of the people served.
(Kristen Allcorn, Sedalia, Mo.)

-- This Scholar helped raise $21,000 to benefit Team River Runner, an
organization that rehabilitates wounded U.S. soldiers at a local
hospital by teaching them to kayak. The majority of the funds bought a
new transport van as well as three new kayaks for the wounded veterans
to use. His work with the organization has helped raise awareness
about the wounded soldiers recovering at nearby Walter Reed Hospital.
(Eric Weisberg, Bethesda, Md.)

-- In 2005, founded Beyond All Borders - a project that aims to help
children suffering from weekend hunger. The program has since
collected over 3,000 pounds of food for distribution to more than 160
schools in New Jersey. Beyond All Borders has also expanded its focus
to global-hunger issues by reaching out to help alleviate Kenya's
hunger problems. This student's group also raised $5,300 to plant five
acres of passion fruit for 50 Kenyan farm families.
(John Monagle, Clark, N.J.)

-- Based on the need for programs focused on character-development in
children, this Scholar started a non-profit foundation called the Open
My Eyes Foundation, which carries a message encouraging students to see
every person as valuable. By means of the book she has authored, Look
At Me I Am Just Like You, this Scholar has led discussions with over
1,500 children, ultimately raising awareness that leads students to
accept diversity. She is confident that her project will help put an
end to loneliness, racism, suicides, self-centeredness and bullying in
forthcoming generations. (Abigail Hardin, Clinton, Miss.)

First Call Analyst:
FCMN Contact:

Source: Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc.

CONTACT: Kathy Mota, +1-310-468-6919, or Andy Eggers, +1-502-584-0371, or
cell, +1-502-649-6588

2008-05-09 20:06:02 0358105 PRNEWSWIRE