Cover Girl Delivering ‘Stay in School’ Message To Latinas.

Taking aim at the escalating national drop-out cycle among high school-age Latinas, Cover Girl is bringing its My Colors of Success stay-in-school initiative to Chicago, Los Angeles and Miami beginning in October 2004. During 2003, My Colors of Success reached over 6,000 high school students in Dallas, Miami, Los Angeles, New York and Chicago.

The My Colors of Success effort strives to inspire Latinas to finish high school and celebrate their heritage as the first step to achieving their professional dreams. Cover Girl and Walgreens have partnered with Latino-dominant high schools to rollout the ‘stay in school’ initiative, encompassing school visits by Hispanic Cover Girl spokesmodel and MISS UNIVERSE 2003 Amelia Vega.

While Hispanic populations soar, Latinas are the most likely to quit high school — 26% compared to 13% (African-American) and 6.9% (Caucasian). Believing that issues including low self-esteem and lack of positive role models play an important role in the current dropout cycle, Cover Girl created the program’s 3-tier message: Stay in school, build mentors and draw strength and power from your cultural heritage.

The essay component of the initiative invites high-school-age Latinas to submit entries on the ‘success and cultural heritage’ theme, which will award the Patricia Velasquez Scholarship of a $4,000 savings bond to five students, courtesy of Cover Girl and Walgreens. Among those 5 scholarship winners, a grand prize winner will be invited to attend a Cover Girl photo shoot with a guardian.

‘My Colors of Success’ Essay Contest And Submission Guidelines The contest is open to all students currently enrolled in high school in the U.S. To enter, contestants must submit a brief essay describing ‘How embracing your inner beauty and heritage will help you succeed.’ Written (or typed) essays must be no more than 250 words. Submissions can be written in
either English or Spanish. Submissions must include name, age, grade, school attending and phone number and must be received no later than November 30, 2004.

All submissions become the property of Cover Girl and will not be returned. Submissions should be mailed to My Colors of Success, C/O RLPR, 1900 Avenue of the Stars, suite 288, Century City, CA 90067, or go to http://www.mycolorsofsuccess.com to enter.