FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Elissa Ruffino (NIAF) 202/939-3106 or elissa@niaf.org

(WASHINGTON, DC – July 14, 2006) Twenty-five Italian American students were recently selected to participate in the Students to Leaders (S2L) Program, educational workshops that expose Italian American high school juniors and seniors to the inner workings of government and public policy in Washington D.C. The program, in its fifth year, is sponsored by the National Italian American Foundation (NIAF). The NIAF all-expenses-paid mentoring workshops will help participants develop effective leadership skills and inform them about possible career choices.

From July 16 through July 19, 25 students will attend the NIAF Government/Public Policy S2L Workshop to explore today’s political world. Students will meet with important political leaders including Richard Benedetto, White House correspondent for USA Today; Sam Donaldson, anchor at ABC News; Minister Alberto Galluccio of the Embassy of Italy; U.S. Congressmen John Mica and Bill Pascrell, Jr., co-chairs of the Italian American Congressional Delegation; and Nick Sinatra, deputy assistant director for U.S. Inner Governmental Affairs. Visits to the Pentagon and the Embassy of Italy are also planned. During the program participants will engage in an interactive leadership and team-building session.

For more information, go to www.niaf.org/s2l.