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Ford Motor Company Helps Set the 'PASE' for Literacy Rates In Los Angeles Public Schools

13 July 2000

Ford Motor Company Helps Set the 'PASE' for Literacy Rates In Los Angeles Public Schools

    LOS ANGELES - Ford Motor Company and TH!NK city, the official pace car of 
the LA Street Race, will raffle off an electrically assisted bicycle, TH!NK bike 
traveler, as part of the company's on-going commitment to developing 
environmentally responsible transportation.  The contest, which will raise funds 
for the LA PASE Conference on literacy to be held September 23, 2000, is just 
one of the many activities Ford's Environmental Vehicles Groups will host in 
conjunction with the street race held near Exposition Park in Los Angeles, July 
15-16.

    "TH!NK city and our other zero-emission and alternative fuel vehicles are
progressive, fun and designed to help preserve the environment for future
generations," said John Wallace, Executive Director of Ford's TH!NK Group.
"The students who benefit from the LA PASE network are the same people who
will be buying vehicles in the future.  We want them to make informed and
educated decisions that will help maintain the environment and keep the air
they breathe clean."

    The LA PASE Conference will explore ways in which literacy programs may be
included in every aspect of after-school programs in Los Angeles.  It will
bring educational leaders and independent agencies together to coordinate
efforts around their individual tutoring and after-school projects.
Conference coordinators expect about 200 people to attend the event in
September.

    In addition to raising funds for the conference, Ford Environmental
Vehicles will host 300 children and 30 chaperones from the LA's BEST After
School Enrichment Program at the race on Sunday, July 16.  LA's BEST -- Better
Educated Students for Tomorrow -- is an after school enrichment program
serving approximately 12,000 children, ages 5 to 12, at 69 elementary schools
in the Los Angeles Unified School District each school day.

    "We gladly welcome the interest and support of Ford Motor Company in
providing an opportunity for after school staff to become more effective in
helping children learn to read, write and grow," said Eric Gurowitz, Director
of Staff Development at LA's BEST.

    Raffle tickets for the electric bike may be purchased Saturday and Sunday,
July 15-16 at the Ford Environmental Vehicles Booth at the LA Street Race.
All proceeds from this contest will be put towards funding for the LA PASE
Conference.

    The Ford Environmental Vehicles Booth will be open all weekend where
visitors will see TH!NK Group's battery electric vehicles as well as Ford's
full line of alternative fuel vehicles.  Product specialists will be on hand
to answer questions about all of the vehicles.