Ford Motor Company and Detroit Branch NAACP Host 2008 Career Day and Youth Summit

-- Students Gain Access to Professional Development and Resources for the Future

-- Judge Craig Strong is Keynote Speaker and Local Journalist Charles Pugh Serves as Emcee

-- Essay Contest Winners Receive College Scholarships

DETROIT, April 16 -- Ford Motor Company and Detroit Branch NAACP will host the 2008 Career Day and Youth Summit on Saturday, April 26, 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Cobo Conference and Exhibition Center. This half-day event, the cost of which is entirely underwritten by Ford Motor Company, provides Detroit-area youth with an opportunity to prepare for their academic and professional futures.

Features of the summit include a wide array of exhibitors, including colleges and universities, and a series of dynamic workshops in the areas of entrepreneurship, money matters and professional presentation for individuals ages 15 to 25. Charles Pugh, FM 98 WJLB Radio Personality and Fox 2 News anchor and reporter will serve as M.C. and Judge Craig Strong, State of Michigan, 3rd District Circuit Court Judge, will serve as keynote speaker.

"I am excited to speak to the youth at this career symposium to share with them how important it is to explore options for higher education and to identify what path they want to take as early as possible," said Judge Craig Strong.

A key component of the event is an essay competition, with a deadline for submission of April 18, that awards winners with scholarships that can be applied to their future educational endeavors. Scholarships are awarded to participants who show exemplary writing and presentation skills, as well as original thought on the topics provided. This year's essay topic "What is the single most important change that needs to happen in the U.S. in the next 20 years to achieve social justice and equality for all?" is taken from the "A Change is Going to Come" theme from the Detroit Branch NAACP's Fight for Freedom Fund Dinner.

  Workshops for this year's event include:

  Taking Ownership of Your Life

Attendees will evaluate the direction of their lives and recognize that they are in the driver's seat.

Control Your Future, Be Your Own Boss

Students learn basic skills and behaviors necessary to own and operate their own business. There will be presentations by local entrepreneurs with an opportunity to ask questions.

First Impressions are Lasting Impressions

Focus will be on three key business etiquette elements to job search success: resume tips, dress for success and interview highlights.

Advocacy & Leadership Development

This workshop is designed to highlight the value of studying and understanding history to showcase the current work and accomplishments of contemporary African American leaders and organizations. Participants will be reminded "the best way to predict the future is to create it."

"This is Ford Motor Company's eighth year of partnership with the Detroit Branch NAACP for the Career Day and Youth Summit," said Pamela Alexander, director, Community Development and Business Operations, Ford Motor Company Fund and Community Services, the philanthropic arm of Ford Motor Company. "This event continues to attract a large number of students, parents and teachers, and clearly supports Ford's commitment to assist youth in preparing for their future."

Parents and youth organization leaders are welcome to attend with students. For more information on how to register for the summit or to participate in the essay competition, call 313-203-7235 or visit www.fordnaacpcareerday.com .

ABOUT FORD

Ford Motor Company, a global automotive industry leader based in Dearborn, Mich., manufactures or distributes automobiles in 200 markets across six continents. With more than 280,000 employees and more than 100 plants worldwide, the company's core and affiliated automotive brands include Ford, Jaguar, Land Rover, Lincoln, Mercury, Volvo and Mazda. The company provides financial services through Ford Motor Credit Company.

ABOUT FORD MOTOR COMPANY FUND AND COMMUNITY SERVICES

Ford Motor Company Fund and Community Services is committed to creating opportunities that promote corporate citizenship, philanthropy, volunteerism and cultural diversity for those who live in the communities where Ford does business. Established in 1949 and made possible by Ford Motor Company profits, Ford Motor Company Fund supports initiatives and institutions that foster innovative education, auto-related safety, and American heritage and legacy. National programs include Ford Partnership for Advanced Studies, which provides high school students with academically rigorous 21st century learning experiences, and Driving Skills for Life, a teen-focused auto safety initiative. The Ford Volunteer Corps, established in 2005, continues Ford's legacy of caring worldwide. Through the Volunteer Corps, salaried employees, union members, retirees and their families participate in a wide range of volunteer projects in their communities. For more information on programs made possible by Ford Motor Company Fund and Community Services, visit www.ford.com .