USA TODAY and the National Milk Mustache "got milk?(R)" Campaign Accepting Nominations for 2010 SAMMY Awards

Application Deadline Extended Through March 12

MCLEAN, Va., Feb. 25 /PRNewswire/ -- USA TODAY and the National Milk Mustache "got milk?^®" Campaign have extended the application deadline for the 13th annual Scholar Athlete Milk Mustache of the Year (SAMMY) Awards through March 12, 2010. The SAMMY Awards recognize 25 outstanding high school senior student-athletes who represent excellence in academics, athletics, community service and leadership and include milk in their daily routines.

As part of the Body By Milk campaign, the SAMMY scholarship helps educate teens on the value of making smart choices – like drinking lowfat milk, eating right and staying active. Twenty-five talented teens will receive a $7,500 college scholarship from the Milk Processor Education Program (MilkPEP), an invitation to attend an awards weekend at Disney World and an opportunity to be pictured in a special Milk Mustache ad in a June 2010 edition of USA TODAY and other national publications.

Judging will be based on academic performance, athletic experience, leadership, community service and a milk experience essay. Preliminary judging will be conducted by a qualified group of educators and coaches who will select 75 finalists. A panel of Milk Mustache celebrity athletes including Andy Roddick, Steve Nash, Chauncey Billups, Dara Torres and Michelle Kwan will also serve as judges to help select the 25 winners.

Education partners for the SAMMY Awards include: the American Association of School Administrators, the National Association for Sport and Physical Education, the American School Counselor Association and the National School Public Relations Association.

Teachers, coaches, principals, guidance counselors, athletic directors, parents and relatives are encouraged to nominate a student athlete for the 2010 SAMMY Awards. High school seniors are also allowed and encouraged to nominate themselves. For more information and to apply visit www.bodybymilk.com. All nominations must be received by March 12, 2010 and are accepted online only.

Body By Milk^® is part of the National Milk Mustache "got milk?^®" Campaign, a multi-faceted education program focused on the health benefits of milk. The campaign is managed by the Milk Processor Education Program (MilkPEP) in Washington, D.C., which is funded by the nation's milk processors, who are committed to increasing fluid milk consumption. For more information, go to www.bodybymilk.com. Deutsch, a Lowe and Partners Company, is the creative agency for the National Milk Mustache "got milk?^®" Campaign.

USA TODAY was founded in 1982 with a mission to serve as a forum for better understanding and unity to help make the USA truly one nation. Through its flagship newspaper and popular Web site, USA TODAY engages the national conversation and connects readers online through social media applications. USA TODAY, the nation's number one newspaper in print circulation with a total average daily print circulation of nearly 1.9 million, and USATODAY.com, an award-winning newspaper Web site which launched in 1995, reach a combined 6.1 million readers daily. The USA TODAY news and information brand also includes:  USA TODAY Education, USA TODAY Mobile and USA TODAY Sports Weekly. USA TODAY is owned by Gannett Co., Inc. (NYSE: GCI).

SOURCE USA TODAY