Cingular Wireless to Donate 250 Wireless Phones to Teen Trendsetters™ Reading Mentors

ORLANDO, Fla., July 26 /PRNewswire/ -- There is only one thing Teen Trendsettersâ„¢ might possibly like more than mentoring, and that is talking on a wireless phone! In recognition of the positive difference these young leaders are making in the lives of children throughout Florida, Cingular Wireless will donate GoPhones to all 250 of the 2006-2007 Teen Trendsettersâ„¢ on July 28 during the Grand Finale Luncheon with Governor Jeb Bush at the Fifth Annual Teen Trendsettersâ„¢ Reading Mentors Summit being held at the Wyndham Orlando Resort.

Teen Trendsettersâ„¢ began in 2002, through the partnership of Florida Trend's NEXT magazine for teens and nonprofit Volunteer Florida Foundation. VFF manages the Florida Mentoring Partnership, of which the Teen Trendsettersâ„¢ Reading Mentors program is a part. The program provides training and support to selected teen leaders who recruit classmates to help them mentor elementary students in reading.

"We realize the impact education has on a person's quality of life, as well as on our community and society," said Rudy Hermond, vice president and general manager for Cingular's Central, West and North Florida markets. "The young adults participating in the Teen Trendsetters program are more than just mentors to younger students; they are role models, a glimpse of what the future could hold for them."

In addition to the $15,000 phone donation, Cingular is a Diamond Sponsor for the Fifth Annual Teen Trendsettersâ„¢ Reading Mentors Summit. During the two day summit, the teen volunteers learn ways to make reading a fun part of children's lives and learn how to get the program started in their hometowns.

For more information on the Teen Trendsettersâ„¢ program, please visit http://www.flamentoring.org/.

About the Teen Trendsettersâ„¢ Reading Mentors Program

Volunteer Florida Foundation, in partnership with Florida Trend's NEXT magazine for teens, developed and launched the Teen Trendsettersâ„¢ Reading Mentors program in 2002. The Trendsetters program recruits and trains Florida's teens to mentor third-graders in reading. A specialized curriculum, developed by VFF and Scholastic, guides teens and is enhanced by selected readers from Scholastic. This detailed guide ensures teens know what to do, and when, in tutoring third-grade students. The Trendsetters program is the proud recipient of the national Harris Wofford Award for exemplary performance in engaging youth in community service, given by Youth Service America in Washington, DC. Trendsetters is part of the Florida Mentoring Partnership. For more information, go to http://www.flamentoring.org/.

About Cingular Wireless

Cingular Wireless is the largest wireless carrier in the United States, serving 57.3 million customers. Cingular, a joint venture between AT&T Inc. (NYSE: T) and BellSouth Corporation (NYSE: BLS), has the largest digital voice and data network in the nation -- the ALLOVERâ„¢ network -- and the largest mobile-to-mobile community of any national wireless carrier. Cingular is a leader in third generation wireless technology. Its 3G network is the first widely available service in the world to use HSDPA (High Speed Downlink Packet Access) technology. Cingular is the only U.S. wireless carrier to offer Rollover(r), the wireless plan that lets customers keep their unused monthly minutes. Details of the company are available at http://www.cingular.com/. Get Cingular Wireless press releases emailed to you automatically. Sign up at http://cingular.mediaroom.com/.

SOURCE: Cingular Wireless; Volunteer Florida Foundation

CONTACT: Kelly Starling of Cingular Wireless, +1-561-775-4259, or
kelly.starling@cingular.com; or Fonda Anderson of Volunteer Florida
Foundation-Teen Trendsettersâ„¢ Reading Mentors, +1-727-821-2056, or
fondaanderson@aol.com

Web site: http://www.cingular.com/
http://www.flamentoring.org/