Twenty Area Latino Students Awarded $1,000 College Scholarships

Ronald McDonald House Charities(R) (RMHC(R)) of the Philadelphia Region, Inc.
Announces 2008 Ronald McDonald House Charities(R)/Hispanic American Commitment
to Educational Resources (HACER) Scholarship Recipients

PHILADELPHIA, March 31 /PRNewswire/ -- Ronald McDonald House Charities
(RMHC) of the Philadelphia Region is proud to announce the 20 local Latino
high school seniors who will each receive a 2008 RMHC/Hispanic American
Commitment to Educational Resources (HACER) $1,000 college scholarship. (See
winners list.)
"RMHC is proud to recognize this year's HACER winners as exceptional role
models within the Latino community," said RMHC of the Philadelphia Region
President and McDonald's Owner/Operator John Durante. "We are confident that
these distinguished students will excel in their future endeavors, and we
congratulate them."
McDonald's(R) Restaurants of the Greater Philadelphia Region will
recognize the winners at a special awards celebration on Thursday, May 1, from
6 p.m. to 9 p.m., at the Down Town Club in Philadelphia. The evening will
feature a keynote address from Richard L. Canas, Director of the New Jersey
Office of Homeland Security and Preparedness as well as live music and dance
performances.
Winner selection is based on academic achievement, community service and
financial need. Since 1995, $166,000 in HACER scholarships has been awarded to
students in the Greater Philadelphia Region.
RMHC of the Philadelphia Region, Inc., is dedicated to supporting programs
that improve the lives of children and families. RMHC "lifts children to a
better tomorrow" through scholarship programs for high school seniors; the
Philadelphia, Southern New Jersey and Delaware Ronald McDonald Houses; the St.
Christopher's Foundation for Children Ronald McDonald Care Mobile; and grants
to not-for-profit organizations.
There are more than 300 McDonald's restaurants in the Greater Philadelphia
Region, which includes Southeastern Pennsylvania, Southern New Jersey and Kent
and New Castle counties in Delaware, that have proudly supported scholarship
programs such as RMHC/HACER since 1985.
McDonald's is the leading foodservice retailer with more than 30,000
restaurants serving quality food to nearly 50 million customers in more than
100 countries each day. Approximately 70 percent of McDonald's restaurants
worldwide are owned and operated by independent, local businessmen and
businesswomen.
Ronald McDonald House Charities(R) /
Hispanic Commitment to Educational Resources(R)
2008 Scholarship Recipients

Philadelphia County
Virginia Bonilla
Olney East High School

Evelyn DeJesus
Jules E. Mastbaum AVTS

Michael Diaz
Olney West High School

Kathleen Juarbe
Kensington International Business/Finance and Entrepreneurship High
School

William Matos
Central High School

Jarinil Perez
Frankford High School

Angel Ramos
J.R. Masterman High School

Nelabaluz Reyes
Thomas Edison High School

Heather Soto
Thomas Edison High School

Bucks County, Pa.
Shirley Guzman-Caballero
Quakertown Community Service High

Chester County, Pa.
Ruben Gaytan Lemus
Kennett High School

Ana Lemus Moreno
Kennett High School

Elizabeth Saldierna Lopez
West Chester East High School

Lehigh County, Pa.
Francheska Vargas
William Allen High School

Cape May County, NJ
Rebecca Moran
Middle Township High School

Cumberland County, NJ
Charlie Castilla
Vineland High School

Pablo Salcedo
Vineland High School

Gloucester County, NJ
Alma Aguilera
Kingsway Regional High School

Mercer County, NJ
Glorianne Gonzalez
Trenton High School

New Castle County, Del.
Zakary Fisch
Delaware Military Academy

Winners' essays are available upon request.
To speak with winners or McDonald's representatives, please contact
Jennifer Slobotkin at 215-790-4338.
SOURCE Ronald McDonald House Charities

Jennifer Slobotkin of Tierney Communications for Ronald McDonald House
Charities, +1-215-790-4338, jslobotkin@tierneyagency.com