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

Posted on: Wednesday, 10 June 2009, 04:07 CDT

Winners at top of class in both academics and community service

TORRANCE, Calif., June 10 /PRNewswire/ -- Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc., (TMS) is rewarding 100 high school seniors with $1 million in college scholarships for their commitment to education and community service.

The 12 national and 88 regional winners, who make up the 13th 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 their achievements, the 2009 class will continue helping others on their journey as college students. "I know that I will only find happiness and fulfillment in my life by dedicating my time to something meaningful - something that makes a difference in the world, in mankind, or in somebody's life," said Scholar Ethan Soodak of Silver Spring, Md.

For the 2009 class, their contributions to the global community are far reaching and range from raising $1.5 million for the eradication of neurological disease, to providing medical and educational resources for over 4,000 orphans in Southern Asia.

"In these tough economic times, it is particularly rewarding to see these students having such a tremendous impact in their communities," said Michael Rouse, TMS vice president of philanthropy and community affairs. "They are stellar examples of service and commitment and remind us all what's really important."

Valued at $20,000 each for national winners, and $10,000 for regional, the scholarships are awarded over four years beginning in the fall of 2009 for study at a four-year college or university. Since the Toyota Community Scholars program began in 1997, TMS has awarded over $14 million in scholarships to 1,300 students across the U.S.

Jourdan Urbach, a Toyota Community Scholar from Roslyn Heights, NY, demonstrates the dedication to community service by the members of this year's class. As the founder of Children Helping Children (CHC), Urbach established Concerts for a Cure to utilize his gift as a talented violinist to raise $1.5 million in the fight against neurological disease. CHC funds provide materials for music therapy in pediatric playrooms, medical equipment, home healthcare for patients with advanced disease and grants for cutting edge neurological research.

Determined to create a "youthquake" across the globe by putting a face on philanthropy in healthcare, Urbach has encouraged 700 young musicians to get involved in this international movement.

"I have learned through my years of service that there is no age limit for doing something extraordinary for humanity," says the scholar. "My dream is to see symphony orchestras and young soloists working together in every city around the world, raising funds and awareness to cure neurological disease through their art."

The national and regional winners were selected by a panel of college and university admissions officials from across the U.S. The Toyota Community Scholars program is administered by Educational Testing Services in Princeton, N.J.

About Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc.

Toyota Motor Sales (TMS), U.S.A., Inc. is the marketing, sales, distribution and customer service arm of Toyota, Lexus and Scion. Established in 1957, TMS markets products and services through a network of more than 1,400 Toyota, Lexus and Scion dealers. Toyota directly employs more than 34,000 people in the U.S. and sold more than 2.2 million vehicles in 2008.

NOTE:

*A list of Toyota Community Scholars is below.

*A "snapshot" of specific community service projects is below.

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

2009 TOYOTA COMMUNITY SCHOLARS CITY HIGH SCHOOL ALABAMA Wade Ash Atmore Escambia Academy ARIZONA Grace Do Chandler Corona Del Sol High School ARKANSAS Cody Hooks Little Rock Wilbur D Mills Univ Studies HS CALIFORNIA Nicholas Davis Fresno Clovis West High School Trevor Geller Foothill Ranch Trabuco Hills High School Preeya Goyal Temecula Great Oak High School Tavish Nanda* Alamo Monte Vista High School Harleen Sethi Modesto Fred C Beyer High School Ann Wang* Rancho Cucamonga Los Osos High School Frankie Wong Artesia Gretchen Whitney High School Connie Wu Cupertino Monta Vista High School COLORADO Rachel Buchmeier Loveland Loveland High School Sarah Linke* Castle Rock Rock Canyon High School DELAWARE Rebecca Godwin Milford Milford Senior High School FLORIDA Alexis Dempsey Wesley Chapel Berkeley Preparatory Tura Magley Bradenton Manatee High School Samuel Morales West Palm Beach Cardinal Newman High School Rohit Thummalapalli Hialeah American Heritage Sch Plantatn Andrew Zarzeski Lutz Freedom High School GEORGIA Melissa Adams Cumming South Forsyth High School HAWAII Kimberly Lee Honolulu Punahou School ILLINOIS Kathleen Leinweber Woodstock Woodstock High School Kevin McDermott Burr Ridge Lyons Township HS N Campus Gabrielle Vanspeybroeck East Moline United Township High School INDIANA Erin Biel Carmel Park Tudor School Taylor Sanders Bedford Bedford-North Lawrence HS IOWA Jeralyn Westercamp Cedar Rapids John F. Kennedy High School KANSAS Melissa Mckittrick Mission Hills Shawnee Mission East High Dakota Meyers Hoisington Hoisington High School KENTUCKY Joseph Konerman Edgewood Saint Xavier High School Katherine Lutes Union Larry A. Ryle High School Sarah Rudolph Paducah Paducah Tilghman High School LOUISIANA Raven Hollins Bastrop Bastrop High School Seena Khosravi Baton Rouge Baton Rouge Magnet High School David Rudd Deridder Deridder High School MARYLAND Peter Andes Berlin Stephen Decatur High School Ethan Soodak* Silver Spring James Hubert Blake High Sitara Weerasuriya Olney Sherwood High School MASSACHUSETTS Emily Cunningham Weymouth Cardinal Spellman High School Anokhee Mepani Westwood Westwood High School MICHIGAN Hemant Gandhi* Okemos Okemos High School Emily Hsiao Ann Arbor Huron High School Kathryn Vanham Richmond Richmond High School MINNESOTA Ashlee Kephart* Brooklyn Center Park Center Senior High School Derek Rood Pequot Lakes Pequot Lakes High School Chantal Wilson Greenbush Greenbush Middle River HS MISSOURI Samuel Pelts Warrenton Warren County R-III Senior Allison Pettit Aurora Aurora R-VIII High School MONTANA Kelsey Cable Saint Ignatius St. Ignatius High School NEBRASKA Tyler Gifford Harrisburg Banner County Schools Danika Young Atkinson West Holt High School Daniel Zhou Lincoln Lincoln Southwest High School NEVADA Melanie Malinas Reno The Davidson Academy of NV NEW HAMPSHIRE Nicholas Letizio Windham Salem High School NEW JERSEY Katherine Adams Rumson Ranney School Matthew Certner Morristown Morristown High School Molly Roy Moorestown Moorestown High School Marisa Sanders Hackettstown Hackettstown High School NEW MEXICO Shelby Gonzales Maxwell Maxwell High School NEW YORK Mariam Braimah Hauppauge Hauppauge High School Eugenia Gurvich Hawthorne Westlake High School Noah Sheinbaum Chappaqua Horace Greeley High School Sujay Tyle Pittsford Pittsford Mendon High School Jourdan Urbach* Roslyn Heights Roslyn High School Alexa Zahl New York Horace Mann School NORTH CAROLINA Michael Atkins Pikeville Charles Baycock High School Julie Crimmins Chapel Hill Chapel Hill High School Milan Kantesaria Fayetteville Fayetteville Academy John Turner Raleigh Middle Creek High School OHIO Andrew Schultze Kettering Kettering High School OKLAHOMA Lashun Oakley Ada Latta High School Emily Sanders Oklahoma City Western Heights High School OMAN Sahar Khan* Muscat American British Academy PENNSYLVANIA Rebecca Adelsheim Pittsburgh Ellis School James Creeley Williamsport Saint John Neumann Regional Alison Geesey Spring Mills Penns Valley Area Jr-Sr HS Vinay Trivedi Newton Princeton Day High School SOUTH CAROLINA Melanie Zhao Florence West Florence High School SOUTH DAKOTA Emily Sperry* Bath Roncalli High School TENNESSEE Tiffany Carpenter Thompsons Station Independence High School John Loehle Wartrace Tullahoma High School Lauren Lyke Strawberry Plains Jefferson County High School TEXAS Molly Dudensing Sagerton Rule High School Bonnie Duncan San Benito San Benito High School Julie England Winters Winters High School Tyler Folse Houston Saint Thomas Episcopal Patrick Foster Sachse Sachse High School Aditya Kumar Stafford Stafford High School Alexa Sassin Houston Saint John's High School Jordan Sessler* Austin Liberal Arts and Science Aca. UTAH Bradley Jencks South Jordan Bingham High School VERMONT Chris Appleton* Barre Spaulding High School VIRGINIA David Ramish Vienna Thomas Jefferson HS Sci/Tec WASHINGTON Brenna Fallon Seattle Seattle Preparatory High School Lauren Kuhn Aberdeen Weatherwax (Aberdeen) HS Stephanie Nicholson Camas Camas Senior High School Misbah Uraizee Bellevue Sammamish High School Brian Vance* Yakima Selah High School WISCONSIN Emily Jordan Black River Falls Black River Falls High School Natalia Thompson Madison West High School * National winner - $20,000 scholarship All others receive $10,000 scholarship

2009 TOYOTA COMMUNITY SCHOLARS

Community Service Snapshots

Following is a sampling of community-service projects performed by the 2009 class of Toyota Community Scholars (more detail can be provided upon request; student interviews can also be arranged).

• Founded Children Helping Children (CHC), a musical charity foundation which raises funds through Concerts for a Cure for hospitals, research and international medical organizations targeting neurological disease. The award-winning concert violinist has raised $1.5 million performing at numerous benefit concert venues including Carnegie Hall. He has encouraged 700 young musicians to spearhead CHC satellite chapters across the nation with the common goal of saving lives through music. (Jourdan Urbach, Roslyn Heights, NY)
• Personally inspired by the passing of his grandfather, this Scholar established SeniorLink to familiarize nursing home residents with computers, while reaping the benefits of keeping their minds active and alert. SeniorLink refurbishes donated computers and distributes them to senior centers in Bucks County and northern New Jersey. Since its inception, the organization has collected more than 75 computers and also hosts weekly hands-on and user-friendly skill-building sessions for seniors. (Vinay Trivedi, Newtown, Penn.)
• Forever changed by touching stories from orphans while traveling to Asia, this Scholar created Foundations for Joy to improve the lives of orphans in Southern Asia. Providing necessities such as food, water, shelter, medical care, educational resources and vocational training, the organization distributed $65,000 worth of aid to 4,042 children in 2008. Foundations for Joy works with 37 different orphanages, has raised a total of approximately $100,000 and is also working to provide permanent, reliable sources of electricity to orphanages in Sri Lanka through the installation of solar generators. (Jordan Sessler, Austin, TX)
• Founded CarbonNeutralVolunteers.org (CNV), which is dedicated to raising global awareness on climate change and promoting green lifestyle changes through an innovative concept of volunteer carbon credits. Raised $20,000 for solar ovens in Tanzania and solar water heaters at Michigan-based Okemos High School and a hospital in Peru. This student's group has also sold hundreds of CFL bulbs during door-to-door drives. Having represented CNV at several global events, his goal is to nurture a new generation of climate leaders. (Hemant Gandhi, Okemos, Mich.)
• Beginning as an Eagle Scout service project, this Scholar went the extra mile to identify thousands of unrecorded gravesites at a local ghost town cemetery. Organizing over 2,000 volunteers, his team restored grave markers, installed headstones, identified 1,100 unknown burials in a 1,500 page cemetery book, established a wall of honor for 1,825 individuals, created an information center, fence, road and monument dedicated to honor veterans from 6 wars. He helped to raise $50,000 in relation to the project and produced documentaries for The History Channel and Roots Television. Research was donated to libraries, the State Historical Society and free websites to connect people with their living relatives and heritage. (Bradley Jencks, South Jordan, UT)

SOURCE Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc.

Source: PR Newswire

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