Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s Sweep at Pocono Raceway Raises Awareness for High School Dropout Crisis

POCONO, Pa., Aug. 7, 2014 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Dale Earnhardt Jr. and Hendrick Motorsports teamed with the National Guard Youth Foundation and sponsors Michael Baker International and DC Capital Partners to give racing fans more than an exciting win.  Earnhardt, who serves as a spokesperson for the National Guard Youth Foundation, helped raise awareness and funds to help high school dropouts get back on track and become productive members of their communities.

Michael Baker International and DC Capital Partners, who are strong corporate supporters of the Foundation, aligned with Earnhardt and Hendrick Motorsports for this race to raise awareness for the high school dropout crisis and provide funding to support scholarships and workforce development programs for graduates of the National Guard Youth ChalleNGe Program.

The National Guard Youth Foundation raises awareness of the dropout crisis and provides scholarships and workforce development opportunities for ChalleNGe graduates.  Michael Baker International is a strong supporter of the Foundation and is committed to making a difference by educating youth in high-demand fields related to engineering and technology.

"We congratulate Dale Earnhardt Jr., Rick Hendrick and the entire Hendrick Motorsports team on a well-deserved win at the GoBowling.com 400," said Louis A. Cabrera, National Guard Youth Foundation President.  "The Foundation is grateful for their long-time support and we know how important the kids are to them.  Working with the Hendrick team and Michael Baker International, we will be able to assist the cadets and graduates of the ChalleNGe Program in building technical skills for careers in STEM-related areas such as engineering, architecture, environmental services, sustainable design, construction, intelligence, full life cycle support and information technology. The partnership will help provide opportunities to thousands of young men and women who are working hard to turn their lives around."

Thomas J. Campbell, Founder of DC Capital Partners and Chairman of Michael Baker International said, "Dale Jr. and the Hendrick team are the best in the racing business.   We are proud to partner with them in supporting the National Guard Youth Foundation.  Michael Baker International is committed to giving back to our communities. We believe every young person should have the chance to lead a successful life and become a productive citizen."

"Our sincere thanks and congratulations to Dale Earnhardt Jr. and the entire Hendrick Motorsports team," said Kurt Bergman, CEO of Michael Baker International, "As a technology and innovation driven company, Michael Baker International is concerned about the effect of the dropout crisis on the workforce of tomorrow, particularly with growing problems in our nation's critical infrastructure.  Along with Dale Earnhardt Jr., Rick Hendrick and the National Guard Youth Foundation, we hope to assist these young people in building technical skills required in this technology-rich marketplace."

Dale Earnhardt Jr. led the final 14 laps in the second sweep of his career. This was the fifth consecutive Sprint Cup victory for Hendrick Motorsports at Pocono.

About the National Guard Youth Foundation

Nearly one million students drop out of school every year and disappear from classrooms. This crisis not only affects the lives of the individuals who drop out, but it also has severe consequences for our society, economy and national security. The National Guard Youth Foundation is a nonprofit that is dedicated to addressing the nation's dropout crisis by giving youth a second chance through the National Guard Youth ChalleNGe Program, a proven program that helps 9,000 youth each year improve their life skills, educational attainment and employability. The Foundation relies on strategic partnerships with companies and organizations like Michael Baker International to be able to provide direct support to ChalleNGe graduates in the form of scholarships, training and workforce transition assistance. These partnerships also help the Foundation get closer to its goal of expanding ChalleNGe so it is available to more youth who need it. Together, the National Guard Youth Foundation, the ChalleNGe program and its partners are changing the lives of thousands of young men and women every year by providing them with a pathway to a second chance and helping them continue on their path of success well beyond graduation day.

About Michael Baker and DC Capital Partners

DC Capital Partners owns a controlling interest in Michael Baker International.  DC Capital's Founder, Thomas Campbell, is Chairman of Michael Baker International and serves as Treasurer of the Board of the National Guard Youth Foundation.  Gail Dady, a partner at DC Capital, serves on the Michael Baker Board and also serves as Vice Chairman of the Board of the National Guard Youth Foundation. DC Capital Partners is a private investment firm headquartered in the nation's capital.  The firm makes control equity investments in middle market companies that provide differentiated and innovative services and solutions in the Government Contracting and Engineering and Development markets. DC Capital's investment strategy emphasizes certain sectors that it believes offer the most compelling growth opportunities for investment, including but not limited to:  Intelligence, Information Technology, Security, Operations and Maintenance, and Infrastructure. www.dccapitalpartners.com

Michael Baker International, headquartered in Pittsburgh, is an engineering and consulting firm which provides infrastructure, development and technology solutions to clients in more than 20 countries. The Company employs over 6,000 people across more than 90 offices and is proud of its Pennsylvania heritage. Michael Baker is led by CEO, Kurt Bergman. With revenues of $1.3B, the Company is a leading global provider of engineering and consulting services performing planning, architectural, environmental, construction, program management, and full life cycle support services as well as information technology, intelligence and communications services and solutions. Baker provides its comprehensive range of services and solutions in support of U.S. federal, state, and municipal governments, foreign allied governments, and a wide range of commercial clients. 

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SOURCE National Guard Youth Foundation