May 6, 2007 Race to Help Local Underserved Students Go to College

The Sallie Mae Fund today unveiled the winning T-shirt design for its 24th annual Sallie Mae 10K Run/2K Walk, set for Sunday, May 6. Gregory Little, a senior at McKinley Tech High School in Washington, DC, submitted the design that will be worn by an expected 2,000-plus runners and volunteers at the race, which benefits the D.C. College Access Program (DC-CAP).

The Sallie Mae Fund and DC-CAP created the T-shirt competition to raise awareness about the importance of higher education. Local students were encouraged to express their creativity and the race's mission through the contest. The winning design was selected by past race participants. As the winner, Little will receive a $1,000 college scholarship from The Sallie Mae Fund. "I am honored and extremely excited that my design was picked," said Little, "and to be involved with the good work that the Sallie Mae Fund and DC-CAP are doing." Little (17), who will also participate in the race, is looking forward to attending either Savannah College of Art & Design or the School of Visual Arts in New York , and majoring in animation. A native of Washington, Little's passion for the creative arts, and specifically drawing, was inspired by the amine cartoons he watched as a boy. His fervor for art and for the cause that the Sallie Mae 10K race champions encouraged him to enter the competition. Since 2000, The Sallie Mae Fund has raised more than $1.3 million - in event proceeds, sponsorships and grants - to help DC-CAP send local students to college.

"Through the years, The Sallie Mae Fund has been a faithful partner to DC-CAP, and we are truly grateful for this annual Washington tradition to aid our efforts of giving D.C. high school students a brighter future," said Argelia Rodriguez, president and CEO, DC-CAP. "The proceeds each year from the Sallie Mae 10K have made a direct and extensive impact on the number of local students we help enroll in and graduate from college."

Before DC-CAP was established in 1999, fewer than 55 percent of the D.C. public high school freshmen were earning a high school diploma and only one-third were pursuing any type of post- secondary education. Since then, college enrollment for D.C. high school students has nearly doubled to 64 percent. By providing counseling and financial aid assistance, DC-CAP has given thousands of students the opportunity to pursue a college education. The organization was a recent recipient of a grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to support college- access efforts for local students.

"It is rewarding that we are in our 24th year of serving the community through the Sallie Mae 10K," said Kathleen deLaski, president, The Sallie Mae Fund. "A college education is one of the best investments anyone can make, and we are pleased that, through race proceeds, DC-CAP will be able to make college a reality for more District students."

The Sallie Mae 10K Run/2K Walk gets underway at 8:00 a.m. EDT in West Potomac Park along the scenic Potomac River in downtown Washington, D.C. The 6.2-mile foot race draws a competitive field of local and international runners in addition to casual local runners and walkers of all abilities. In addition to the 10K race, this year's event will feature a pre-race warm-up, wheelchair race, 2K Family Walk/Run, and a post-race breakfast.

To register or volunteer, please visit the race web site or call the race hotline at 703-533-4849.