Auto Club: Competition for College Scholarships Set to Begin in AAA Travel High School Challenge

LOS ANGELES--Jan. 8, 2004--Students grades 9-12 will compete for $156,000 in college scholarships next week as the AAA Travel High School Challenge contest begins. Students can take a 40 question online test from January 12-21 by logging on to the contest's official Web site at www.aaa.com/TravelChallenge.

The AAA Travel High School Challenge began last year in an effort to increase travel knowledge and geographic literacy in young people. The national contest is open to all U.S. students in grades 9-12 (public, private or home schooled), with a winner from each of the 50 states and Washington, D.C. traveling to Universal Orlando April 24-27 to compete for scholarships totaling $156,000.

"The AAA Travel High School Challenge scholarships includes $25,000 to each of the top three finishers and $10,000 scholarships to three runners-up," said Diana Meinhold, vice president of travel products and services for the Automobile Club of Southern California. "Each state champion receives a $1,000 scholarship and an expense-paid trip to Universal Orlando, with chaperone, to participate in the national contest. Scholarships are provided by the Hogan Family Foundation," Meinhold said.

The AAA Travel High School Challenge recognizes and rewards students for their travel destination knowledge, while encouraging others to follow in their tracks. The AAA Travel High School Challenge also encourages students to use their travel knowledge after graduation.

"The Automobile Club of Southern California depends on travel-savvy employees to serve our members," Meinhold said. "The AAA Travel High School Challenge encourages youngsters to study travel geography and to consider careers in travel and tourism."

When the online portion concludes January 21, the top five scorers in each state and Washington, D.C. will take a 40-question written exam. The top exam scorer then will be named the state champion and advance to the national contest. In 2003, Trevor Elkins, an eleventh grader at Royal High School in Simi Valley, won the California State Championship in the AAA High School Travel Challenge.