Toyota Seeks Nominations for $1.12 Million in College Scholarships

LOS ANGELES, Dec. 4  /PRNewswire/ -- Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc., (TMS) is searching the United States for 100 of the brightest, most community- minded high school seniors.

Those chosen to represent the 2008 Toyota Community Scholars class will share in a total award of $1.12 million in college scholarships.  "We are seeking students who have outstanding academic records, are effective leaders, and have a well documented record of service both within and outside the school setting," said TMS President Jim Lentz.

While academic performance is a prime factor in the selection process, the distinguishing characteristic will be the overall impact of the student's contribution in the area of community service.

  Overall, eligibility is based on the following:

    -- Be a high school senior with a grade point average of 3.0 or better;
    -- Be actively involved in a service organization or project that has a
       positive impact on the school and/or community;
    -- Be a U.S. citizen, U.S. national, or U.S. permanent resident;
    -- Plan to pursue an undergraduate degree at an accredited four-year
       college or university in the U.S.


  Nominations


Students must be nominated by their school.  Each school may nominate only one student, with the exception of schools with more than 600 graduating seniors, which may elect two.  Nomination materials must be submitted to Educational Testing Services (which administers the Toyota Community Scholars program) and postmarked by January 4, 2008.  Nomination forms were mailed to each secondary school in the U.S.  They are also available on-line at: http://www.toyota.com/communityscholars.

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 $12 million in scholarships to 1,100 students across the U.S.

Awards Program

The 100 students who are chosen for the class of 2008 will be invited to attend an all-expense paid recognition event in San Antonio, Texas, May 8-10, 2008.  At that time, the 100 Toyota Community Scholars will be introduced, 12 of whom will be named national winners.  (National winners will receive $20,000 each; the 88 regional winners will be awarded $10,000 each.)  In addition to an awards dinner, the students will also have the opportunity to learn about historic San Antonio, plus take a tour of Toyota's newest up-and- running automotive manufacturing plant, which produces the Tundra truck.

Tomorrow's Leaders

When you combine strong academics with dedication to community, the end result is leadership.  The Toyota Community Scholars program is designed to provide financial support and encouragement to students who demonstrate a commitment to these two important areas.

"The Toyota scholarship not only helped me greatly with college costs, but also gave me the opportunity to meet great students from all over the country and we still keep in touch," said Sarah Grace Epps, 2006 Toyota scholar and student at Furman University in Greenville, S.C.  "It opened many doors for me and I had the time of my life at the scholarship recognition weekend."

About Toyota's Education Programs

In addition to sponsoring a number of non-profit educational organizations, Toyota offers three major programs that support teachers with grants and students with scholarships:  Toyota TAPESTRY, the largest K-12 science teacher grant program of its kind in the U.S.; Toyota Community Scholars; and the Toyota International Teacher Program.  Toyota also supports scholarships through the Hispanic Scholarship Fund; United Negro College Fund; Marine Corps Scholarship Foundation; National FFA; and the American Indian College Fund.  In 2006, Toyota USA contributed $40 million to U.S. philanthropic programs, with a majority of funding supporting education.  For more information, visit http://www.toyota.com/community.

ETS Scholarship & Recognition Programs (SRP) has been Toyota's administrative partner on the Toyota Community Scholarship program since its inception.  A unit of Educational Testing Service, SRP has, for over 50 years, provided administrative and consultative services to corporations, foundations, and other philanthropic organizations seeking to identify academically talented students for scholarship awards and other types of recognition.

ETS, located in Princeton, New Jersey, is a not-for-profit organization with the mission of advancing quality and equity in education by providing fair and valid assessments, research, and related services for all people worldwide. 

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