Teen Ambassador Selected to Represent Boys & Girls Clubs of America's Financial Literacy Program

Business Wire, March 4, 2008

Joshua Carter of Washington, D.C., Receives $5,000 College Scholarship from Charles Schwab Foundation

ATLANTA -- Growing up in a single-parent family of four, Joshua Carter always knew that money was tight and he would need to find financial assistance to help him pay for college. But it wasn't until he participated in Boys & Girls Clubs of America's (BGCA's) Money Matters: Make it Count(SM) program that he began to understand how to make smart financial decisions to help him reach his educational goals. Money Matters, launched in 2003 through the sponsorship of Charles Schwab Foundation, is designed to promote money management skills among teens and is targeted primarily at teens from underserved communities.

"Having strong money management skills will make college life easier," says Carter, a member of Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Washington (D.C.). Money Matters taught him how to save money by limiting his spending on clothes and entertainment. Instead, he has focused on the bigger picture by saving money to invest in long-term goals. Since taking Money Matters, Carter has also opened both savings and checking accounts.

Based on his demonstrated success following the Money Matters program -- as well as his proven leadership abilities at his Club and school and his academic success -- Carter was selected from among 20 winners of college scholarships funded by Charles Schwab Foundation to receive a special $5,000 scholarship and the honor of being named BGCA's first-ever National Money Matters Ambassador. The additional 19 scholarship winners each received a $2,000 college scholarship. Carter will use his scholarship to enter Virginia Commonwealth University in the fall of 2008 to pursue a degree in mechanical engineering.

As Money Matters Ambassador, Carter will attend various events on behalf of BGCA and the program to speak about the importance of financial education for teens. "I am very excited," said Carter about receiving his honor. "I feel like I am prepared to overcome many of the obstacles that are headed in my direction. As the first-ever Boys & Girls Clubs of America Money Matters Ambassador, I believe that I need to set the bar high and represent BGCA well."

"In a world becoming more financially complex, education about money management is vital to our nation's future," said Carrie Schwab Pomerantz, president of Charles Schwab Foundation. "Through the Money Matters program and these scholarships, we are aiming to help today's teens become financially fit adults who can help reverse the course of poor saving and debt management habits in the United States."

"Since implementing Money Matters, our teens have become skilled in a number of financial disciplines including creating a budget, using a checking account, saving for college and the basics of managing debt," said BGCA President Roxanne Spillett. "We think it is critical they learn how to handle money responsibly in order to ensure a more prosperous future."

Since its inception, the Money Matters program has grown to serve over 70,000 teens and provide more than 97 college scholarships. The program is available to all Boys & Girls Clubs serving teens. For more information on the program and to find a local Boys & Girls Club, visit www.bgca.org.

Full List of the 2008 Money Matters College Scholarship Winners

* Nnamdi Anuforo, Boys & Girls Clubs of Northern Westchester (Mount Kisco, NY)

* Ariel Bender, Boys & Girls Clubs of Cleveland

* Joshua Carter, Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Washington (D.C.)

* Dimone Curtis, Devers Youth Center (Fort Knox, KY)

* Nicholas Evans, South Sebastian County Boys & Girls Club (Greenwood, AR)

* Carmen Gilliam, Boys & Girls Clubs of West Georgia (LaGrange, GA)

* Ashley Harris, Boys & Girls Club of Trenton/Mercer County (NJ)

* Shankar Henderson, Boys & Girls Clubs of Chicago

* Michelle Herrera, Pojoaque Pueblo Boys & Girls Club (Santa Fe, NM)

* Ashley Johnson, Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Washington (D.C.)

* Precious Lyons, Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Denver

* Anna McCarty, Dugway Youth Services/Boys & Girls Club (UT)

* Rosalie Ortiz, Fort Huachuca Youth Center (AZ)

* Tyler Pace-Marple, Boys & Girls Club of Iwakuni (Japan)

* Diana Pena, Boys & Girls Clubs of Northern Westchester (Mount Kisco, NY)

* Nakisius Perdue, Boys & Girls Clubs of West Georgia (LaGrange, GA)

* Edgardo Rivera, Boys & Girls Clubs of Hartford (CT)

* Miranda Smith, Boys & Girls Club of Ottawa County (Miami, OK)

* Jessica Tsang, Camp Zama Youth Center (Japan)

* Chaz Vernon, Boys & Girls Clubs of Cleveland

About Boys & Girls Clubs of America

Boys & Girls Clubs of America (www.bgca.org) comprises a national network of more than 4,000 neighborhood-based facilities, with 4.8 million youth served through Club membership and community outreach, in all 50 states and on U.S. military bases worldwide. 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. Key Boys & Girls Club programs emphasize leadership development, education and career exploration, financial literacy, health and life skills, the arts, sports, fitness and recreation, and family outreach. National headquarters are located in Atlanta.