National contest recognizes Hispanic youth making a difference in the Hispanic community

Washington, DC – The National Council of La Raza (NCLR) and Allstate are once again recognizing Hispanic youth who make a difference in their communities with the second Líderes de Hoy national essay contest. Twelve winners will be chosen this year – six from high school and six from college. One grand-prize winner from each age group will receive a $10,000 scholarship for educational expenses. The ten remaining students will each receive a $5,000 scholarship.

“Allstate is a strong believer in the power of education and community involvement,” said Peter Debreceny, Allstate’s vice president of Corporate Relations and member of NCLR’s Corporate Board of Advisors. “We are proud to continue supporting opportunities for Hispanic youth, leadership, and community involvement through this scholarship program.”

“With nearly half of all Hispanics in the United States under the age of 25, young Hispanics will be a driving force in the years to come and are already making their mark now,” said Marco Davis, Director of Leadership Development at the National Council of La Raza. “We are very excited to expand the Líderes de Hoy essay contest this year. NCLR and Allstate are providing an opportunity for emerging Hispanic leaders to continue their development and build on their success.” During the past five years The Allstate Corporation and The Allstate Foundation have contributed more than $1.5 million in support to NCLR programs.

To participate in the essay contest students can visit http://lideres.nclr.org to download contest materials and review all contest rules and guidelines. Students of Hispanic descent currently enrolled in high school or as full-time college undergraduates with a minimum GPA of 2.0 are encouraged to apply.

Essays must be submitted in English, be no longer than 1,000 words, and answer the question, “As a young leader, how have you been a catalyst for positive change and contributed to inspiring your community?” An official sealed transcript must accompany all essays and two copies each of the application form, release form, and a letter of recommendation from a community leader or mentor in a sealed envelope.

Essays will be judged on the basis of the entrant’s commitment to his or her community, exemplary leadership individually or within a group, and a commitment to continued involvement in the community and civic affairs. The decisions of the judges are final.

Submissions should be mailed to Líderes de Hoy Essay Contest, Attn: John Heiderscheidt, 2775 N. Sanders Rd., Suite F3, Northbrook, IL 60062. All entries must be received no later than 5 p.m. Central time on Friday, July 28, 2006 and will become the property of Allstate and NCLR once submitted.

The two grand-prize winners and ten essay contest winners will be invited to a Recognition Ceremony in Washington, DC this fall during Hispanic Heritage Month.

For more information on the Líderes de Hoy essay contest or for contest rules and guidelines, visit http://lideres.nclr.org.

About Allstate
Now celebrating the 75th anniversary of the founding of Allstate Insurance Company, the Allstate Corporation (NYSE: ALL) is the nation’s largest publicly held personal lines insurer. Widely known through the “You’re In Good Hands With Allstate^®” slogan, Allstate helps individuals in approximately 17 million households protect what they have today and better prepare for tomorrow through approximately 14,100 exclusive agencies and financial professionals in the U.S. and Canada. Customers can access Allstate products and services such as auto insurance and homeowners insurance through Allstate agencies, or in select states at allstate.com and 1-800 Allstate^®. Encompass^SM and Deerbrook^® Insurance brand property and casualty products are sold exclusively through independent agents. The Allstate Financial Group provides life insurance, supplemental accident and health insurance, annuity, banking and retirement products designed for individual, institutional and worksite customers that are distributed through Allstate agencies, independent agencies, financial institutions and broker-dealers.

About NCLR
The National Council of La Raza (NCLR) – the largest national Hispanic civil rights and advocacy organization in the United States – works to improve opportunities for Hispanic Americans. Through its network of nearly 300 affiliated community-based organizations (CBOs), NCLR reaches millions of Hispanics each year in 41 states, Puerto Rico, and the District of Columbia. To achieve its mission, NCLR conducts applied research, policy analysis, and advocacy, providing a Latino perspective in five key areas – assets/investments, civil rights/immigration, education, employment and economic status, and health. In addition, it provides capacity-building assistance to its Affiliates who work at the state and local level to advance opportunities for individuals and families.

Founded in 1968, NCLR is a private, nonprofit, nonpartisan, tax-exempt organization headquartered in Washington, DC. NCLR serves all Hispanic subgroups in all regions of the country and has operations in Atlanta, Chicago, Los Angeles, New York, Phoenix, Sacramento, San Antonio, and San Juan, Puerto Rico.

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