Boys + Girls Clubs
of America (BGCA) and The Allstate Foundation have responded with Valuing
Differences, a new component within BGCA's successful Street SMART gang
intervention prevention program.
- It is estimated there are 731,500 youth -gang members nationwide.
- Little reduction in gang activity is expected in the next few years .
"For first generation college-bound students, particularly those from
underserved communities , the availability of financial assistance for their
first year of college may be a deciding factor in whether or not to continue
their education," said Marilyn Rundell, vice president of Scholarship America.

About Scholarship America
Scholarship America is a national nonprofit organization that expands
access to educational opportunities by involving and assisting the private
sector in the support of students and the encouragement of educational
achievement.

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Mercedes-Benz USA Offers $1 Million in Scholarship Support

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(Logo: http://www."
The Street SMART program was developed in 1997 as a result of a grant from
The Allstate Foundation. Key Boys + Girls
Club programs emphasize character and leadership development, education and
career development, health and life skills, the arts, sports, fitness and
recreation.

Students can visit http: //www.

disadvantaged inspiring

By teaching young people to value individuality via tolerance and
inclusion education, Valuing Differences enables youth to avoid conflict and
resolve differences, while also identifying positive options and behaviors to
better their future.
Gangs By The Numbers (National Youth Gang Center)
- More than 21,500 individual gangs existed in 2,300 American Cities in
2002.

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Criminologists and sociologists agree that gangs thrive by creating
divisions within the larger community.
- Gives kids the tools needed to become positive peer leaders in their
communities. For more
information about The Allstate Foundation, please visit
http: //www.

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Valuing Differences was piloted at 10 Boys +
Girls Clubs in 2005.allstate.com.

harford bgcb

Valuing Differences supplements the Street SMART gang prevention
program already in use at the more than 3,700 Boys + Girls Clubs nationwide. Gangs use
intolerance of "others" as a tool to recruit new members.

"Focusing on lessons of tolerance, inclusion and diversity will give Club
members the skills and confidence needed to resist the 'safe' and 'inclusive'
atmosphere gangs present to entice new members," says Frank Sanchez, senior
director, delinquency prevention, Boys + Girls Clubs of America .bgca.

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newscom.
Scholarship winners will be requested to serve as "ambassadors of Mercedes-
Benz USA philanthropy" by giving back to their communities through activities
such as mentoring/tutoring younger students. More information is available at
http://www.

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com/cgi-bin/prnh/20050921/CLW030LOGO )
Young people inherently seek acceptance, making them particularly
susceptible to the inclusive "family atmosphere" gangs present. Known as "The Positive Place for Kids," the Clubs provide
guidance -oriented character development programs on a daily basis for children
6-18 years old, conducted by a full-time professional staff.com/drivefuture to learn more about the
program and access application materials through the March 31, 2005 deadline.

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4 million young people, primarily from disadvantaged
circumstances .org.

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New Program Module Integrates Diversity Education Into Fight Against Gangs,
Addressing Continued Spread of Gang Violence Nationwide

ATLANTA, Boys + Girls Clubs of America is
expanding its arsenal of resources available to its Clubs nationwide in the
fight against gangs with the launch of Valuing Differences, a new program
module that integrates acceptance of cultural diversity into gang prevention
efforts. Valuing Difference's nine-lesson
interactive curriculum is based on the understanding that acceptance of
cultural diversity requires kids to recognize and respect their own identity,
as well as that of others, which may be very different.

Street SMART (Skills Mastery And Resistance Training) is a year-round gang
prevention curriculum:
- Educates pre -adolescents (ages 11-13) about the destructive lifestyle
of gangs, how to avoid conflict and develop resistance and refusal
skills.
- Uses pre- and post-testing to measure knowledge and attitudes toward
gangs before and after the Street SMART initiative. BGCA (http://www .mbusa.

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"This
program helps our members become street smart.

About Mercedes-Benz USA
Headquartered in Montvale, N., MBUSA is responsible for the sales,
marketing and service of all Mercedes-Benz and Maybach products in the United
States.

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About Boys + Girls Clubs of America
For almost a century, Boys + Girls Clubs of America (BGCA) has been
recognized as a community -based organization that welcomes all youth,
regardless of their race, religion or gender.

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"Our support of programs like Street SMART reinforces Allstate's
commitment to strengthen local communities by offering today's children -
tomorrow's leaders - the tools they need to avoid gang violence and behavior
by encouraging healthier and safer options," states Ron McNeil, midwest region
board member, Boys + Girls Clubs of America, and senior vice president,
Allstate Insurance Company . That means avoiding gangs and
resolving disputes with words instead of guns, and leading their peers to do
the same. First Generation College-Bound Students Invited to Apply For
Drive Your Future Scholarships

MONTVALE, N.

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DRIVE YOUR FUTURE: The Mercedes -Benz USA Scholarship Program will grant
$2,000, one-time scholarships to 500 high school seniors across the country
who demonstrate financial need and exceptional achievement in the areas of
academic performance, leadership and school and community activities. DRIVE YOUR FUTURE was created in collaboration
with Scholarship America and is part of a broader philanthropic initiative
aimed at educating and empowering future generations by helping young people
reach their full potential and become the leaders of their generation.

qualities bethlehem

The Allstate Foundation
The Allstate Foundation is an independent, charitable organization made
possible by the Allstate Corporation.
Scholarship winners will be announced in May 2005."
Now in its second year, the DRIVE YOUR FUTURE program was developed to
respond to a critical need for scholarships to help students offset the costs
of postsecondary education., The Mal Washington Foundation, Rush Philanthropic Arts Foundation, Teach
For America , Virtual Enterprises and Young Women's Leadership School. More information on MBUSA and its products can be
found on the Internet at http://www.

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" The
Allstate Foundation believes in the financial potential of every individual
and in helping America's families achieve their American dream.

realize inspire

J. "In just this way, over one hundred years ago, Karl Benz
and Gottlieb Daimler collaborated on a project that would become synonymous
with excellence in the automotive arena.
Through support from MBUSA and the fundraising activities of Mercedes-Benz
dealers nationwide, DRIVE YOUR FUTURE scholarship awards have doubled for
2005."
An average of six students in each state will receive scholarships in
addition to students from various youth organizations such as Automotive High
School, Boys + Girls Clubs, Big Brothers Big Sisters, FIRST Robotics, Girls
Inc.J.scholarshipamerica.

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A big concern is what
happens to them on their way to and from our facility," says Sanchez.org) comprises a
national network of some 3,700 neighborhood-based facilities annually serving
more than 4.

Sites about the Boys

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"
After members complete the Valuing Differences program, each Club hosts a
community -wide event to demonstrate an understanding of the lessons learned.
"DRIVE YOUR FUTURE draws on a quintessential part of Mercedes-Benz'
history -- the extraordinary accomplishments that can result when personal
vision is matched with opportunity," said Paul Halata, president and CEO of
Mercedes -Benz USA. It is this same drive for excellence
that we hope to inspire among these students who will go on to shape our world
through new inventions, the arts, technology, business and maybe even the
automotive world. Through its philanthropic program, MBUSA focuses on educating and
empowering future generations, particularly those who are underserved.

hinds bgcb

Boys + Girls Clubs of America Expands National Gang Prevention Program With Launch of New 'Valuing Differences' Curriculum

"Valuing Differences is a positive step in the
prevention of gang violence through The Allstate Foundation's long-term
partnership with BGCA., Mercedes-Benz USA
(MBUSA) announced today that it will make $1 million in scholarship funding
available to students who are the first in their families to attend college .maybachusa.

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"We know kids are safe when they are in our Clubs.com/foundation.

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Allstate and The Allstate Foundation
sponsor community initiatives to promote "safe and vital communities;"
"tolerance , inclusion, and diversity;" and "economic empowerment.
"Scholarships, such as the ones being offered by Mercedes-Benz USA, help ease
the financial burden placed on aspiring collegians and put a postsecondary
degree closer within their reach.

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The
company views education as an opportunity to ensure that as many of today's
youth as possible are given the tools, guidance and support they need to reach
their full potential.