Toyota Taps 14 Minnesota High Schools As Winners In 'Drive For Education' Contest

ST. PAUL, Minn., March 1, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Fourteen high schools in Minnesota have been named winners in Toyota's 22nd annual "Drive For Education" contest.  The schools will receive $2,500 each at the upcoming Minnesota Boys' State High School Hockey Tournament in St. Paul, with the top two schools awarded an upgraded grant of $10,000.

All winners will be acknowledged during KSTC-TV/Channel 45's coverage of the Minnesota Boys' State High School Hockey Tournament, March 9-12.

Per the rules of the contest, students had to write a short essay detailing how their schools could use the $2,500 and $10,000 prizes, respectively, to enhance education, with specific monetary earmarks.

The 14 winning schools, with hometowns, include:

• Cathedral High School (New Ulm)
• Champlin Park High School (Champlin)
• Duluth East High School (Duluth)
• Glenville Emmons Schools (Glenville)
• Hancock Public Schools (Hancock)
• Kittson Central School (Hallock)
• Little Falls Community High School (Little Falls)
• Moundsview High School (Arden Hills)
• North Lakes Academy (Forest Lake)
• Osseo High School (Osseo)
• Princeton High School (Princeton)
• Shakopee High School (Shakopee)
• St. Agnes High School (St. Paul)
• Wadena-Deer Creek (Wadena)

"We are thrilled to be recognizing these 14 schools, and helping them reach their goals of improved facilities and educational programs," said Shawn Caso, Regional Merchandising Manager for Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc.'s Chicago sales office. "For more than two decades, Toyota and its dealers have donated in excess of $600,000 to further education in the state of Minnesota. It's truly encouraging to see these students embrace this contest for the sake of their communities, forging a legacy of civic-mindedness and school pride."

About Toyota

Toyota Motor Sales (TMS), U.S.A., Inc. is the marketing, sales, distribution and customer service arm of Toyota, Lexus and Scion.  Established in 1957, TMS markets products and services through a network of nearly 1,500 Toyota, Lexus and Scion dealers which sold more than 1.76 million vehicles in 2010. Toyota directly employs nearly 30,000 people in the U.S. and its investment here is currently valued at more than $18 billion. For more information about Toyota, visit www.toyota.com, www.lexus.com, www.scion.com or www.toyotanewsroom.com.

SOURCE Toyota Motor Sales, USA, Inc.