The 26 Seconds Campaign Urges Teens to Come Back4MOR!

BLOOMINGTON, Ill., Sept. 5, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Teens who graduate from high school will earn on average $830 more per month than dropouts will; are seven times more likely to own a home; and are eight times less likely to end up in jail -- yet every 26 seconds a young person drops out of high school.  That's more than a million each year, and there are millions more who think about dropping out, but stick with it. The 26 Seconds campaign, presented by State Farm®, offers an online community, activities and prize opportunities as a way to empower teens to not only be aware of this startling statistic, but to make a personal commitment to graduate and be more (BMOR).

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As the campaign kicks off for the 2012-2013 school year, young people ages 13-19 are invited "Back4MOR" via the BMOR Project at www.facebook.com/26seconds.  Just by taking the BMOR Project Pledge they are entered to win the grand prize – the chance to host a year-end celebration for their friends, and a tablet and gift card. Young people will also find an online community and conversations led by Student Ambassadors committed to raising awareness of this important issue.  The Ambassadors have made the commitment to graduate as a first step to reaching their full potential and they are asking others to join them.  By interacting with others on the 26 Seconds Facebook page and through monthly activities, teens can share their stories and join their peers in committing to address the issue.

26 Seconds amassed 20,000 likes and had more than 2,500 young people regularly participating in the online activities in its first year.  The campaign speaks to teens with the message to BSEEN, BHEARD, BYOU and most importantly BMOR (be more) than the statistic. While the main focus is teens, it also recognizes the important role of caring adults in helping students succeed.  Adults are encouraged to help share the message and prize incentives.

26 Seconds has the support of a coalition of America's Promise Alliance partner organizations who are reinforcing the message and providing on-the-ground support to students.  State Farm is an active member of the America's Promise Alliance and is especially committed its Grad Nation initiative.  Grad Nation goals include achieving a 90 percent graduation rate nationwide by 2020, with no high school graduating less than 80 percent of its students.

 "State Farm has a long history of supporting systemic changes in America's education system," said Edward B. Rust Jr., State Farm chairman and chief executive officer. "Now more than ever, it is important to reinforce to today's youth the importance of staying in school. We believe youth are strong peer advocates to communicate this message. The 26 Seconds campaign provides the platform for them to engage and help improve outcomes."

The campaign has a complete online presence.  On its website, www.26Seconds.com, interested individuals can find ideas, inspiration and resources to help end the dropout crisis.  Information is also shared on Twitter @26BMOR.  Conversations and photos can also be shared and followed by using #NotaStat on sites like Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest.

About 26 Seconds
Presented by State Farm, the 26 Seconds Campaign uses music, sports, video, online activities and prize opportunities to engage students via facebook.com/26seconds and 26seconds.com. The campaign's BMOR Project offers monthly activities and prize opportunities for teens, who pledge to BMOR than the statistic and complete the school year. New activities are introduced on the 26th day of each month to help students discover new interests, set goals and be more (BMOR) than a statistic. The campaign encourages students to "BSEEN, BHEARD, BYOU and BMOR," by expressing their feelings on the dropout issue, creatively sharing their talents, and encouraging their peers to make graduation a priority. The campaign has the support of a coalition of national America's Promise member organizations and is one of many education initiatives that State Farm has supported for more than two decades. Its partnership with America's Promise Alliance strongly focuses on improving the high school graduation rate through the Grad Nation campaign.

About State Farm®:
State Farm and its affiliates are the largest provider of car insurance in the U.S. and is a leading insurer in Canada. In addition to providing auto insurance quotes, their 17,800 agents and more than 65,000 employees serve 81 million policies and accounts – more than 79 million auto, home, life and health policies in the United States and Canada, and nearly 2 million bank accounts. Commercial auto insurance, along with coverage for renters, business owners, boats and motorcycles, is also available. State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company is the parent of the State Farm family of companies. State Farm is ranked No. 43 on the Fortune 500 list of largest companies. For more information, please visit http://www.statefarm.com or in Canada http://www.statefarm.ca.

SOURCE State Farm