Toyota Offers Study-Abroad Program to New York School Teachers

Group Will Tour 2005 World EXPO in Japan

NEW YORK, Nov. 15 -- The Toyota International Teacher Program, an all-expenses-paid, two-week education program in Japan, has expanded to include New York high school teachers.

Eligible teachers can apply now, through January 10, 2005, for this unique opportunity to learn about another country's history and culture, education system, and its technological and environmental issues.

Sixty high school teachers will be selected from the states where Toyota operates major U.S. facilities -- Alabama, California, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Missouri, Texas, West Virginia -- and for the first time, New York and Washington, D.C.

Now in its seventh year, the program is sponsored by Toyota Motor Sales (TMS) U.S.A., Inc. and administered by the Institute of International Education in Washington, D.C.

"An exciting addition to the June 2005 program is a visit to the 2005 World EXPO in Aichi," said Jim Press, Toyota Motor Sales, USA executive vice president and COO. The EXPO will focus on how the global community is dealing with environmental issues, natural resources and energy."

This rigorous two-week journey takes teachers through cities including Tokyo, Kyoto, Nagasaki, the island of Kyushu and Nagoya. The program focuses on four themes -- history, education, environment and technology -- and how these affect industry and society. Activities vary from visits to schools, shrines, conservation sites and factories, panel discussions with well-known authors, historians, educators and business leaders.

Teachers are selected based on their professional and leadership qualifications, as well as their plans to incorporate their experiences and research into their curriculum. Teachers in all disciplines are encouraged to participate. To be eligible, teachers must be a U.S. citizen, employed full-time as a secondary classroom teacher (grades 9-12), and have a minimum of three years teaching experience. Applications can be obtained through high school principals and counselors or by logging onto www.iie.org/programs/toyota or email toyotateach@iie.org.

"The Toyota Teacher Program has enabled me to act as an ambassador not only to Japan, but also to my classroom, school district, and greater communities, and has truly been the highlight of my educational career. It has allowed me to foster a curiosity in my students and their parents, and to create a greater understanding of global issues common to many people throughout the world," Carol O'Rourke, past participant and Business teacher at Forest Hills Northern High School in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

Funded through an annual $820,000 grant from TMS, the program is the only one of its kind sponsored by a major U.S. corporation.

The Toyota International Teacher Program demonstrates the company's longstanding commitment to supporting education. In 2003, Toyota USA contributed $31 million to U.S. philanthropic programs, with 50 percent supporting education. Besides donating to a wide range of educational organizations, Toyota has created its own innovative programs, including grants for science teachers, scholarships for students, technical training and family literacy programs.

Toyota Motor Sales, USA, Inc. is the marketing, sales, distribution and customer service arm of Toyota, Lexus and Scion in the United States, marketing products and services through a network of 1,415 Toyota, Lexus and Scion dealers in 49 states. Established in 1957, TMS and its subsidiaries also are involved in distribution logistics, motor sports, R&D and general aviation. The company's main website is http://www.toyota.com/.