CAROLINA, MAHATMA AND RICELAND RICE ANNOUNCE SCHOLARSHIP FUNDING

(PRLEAP.COM) Houston, TX – Carolina, Mahatma and Riceland Rice announced today that they will continue their long-standing commitment to education by providing $2,000 scholarships to 26 outstanding high school seniors in the metro areas of New York/New Jersey, Chicago, Los Angeles, Miami and San Francisco/San Jose. Nationwide, the 2006-2007 Rice Scholarship Program, along with program partner Univision® Radio Network, will award $52,000 in educational scholarships during special award ceremonies honoring the students and their families in May 2007.

“We understand the financial burden that many families face when sending their child to college, said Alfredo J. Gomez, senior brand manager for Mahatma and Carolina Rice. “We hope that by helping so many young people reach their dream of a higher education, we can help improve the standards for their families, local communities and our nation.” With college costs on the rise, Gomez urges parents, teachers and guidance counselors to encourage graduating seniors to seek out and apply for scholarship funds to help offset higher education expenditures. “Providing encouragement and support goes a long way in motivating students to develop a mindset that they can be successful,” said Gomez, who has been directing the scholarship program for the past 18 years.

To apply, students must complete an application and write an essay of 150 to 250 words, in English or Spanish. This year’s essay topic is “Explain the personal challenges, other than financial, you expect to overcome in college.” Twenty finalists in each market will be chosen from the essays submitted. A panel of judges will interview finalists and select five winners (six in Miami), based on conciseness, content, originality and grammar. Application deadline is February 15, 2007.

Now in its 19th year, the Carolina, Mahatma and Riceland Rice Scholarship Program has awarded more than $500,000 in scholarships to 245 alumni who are earning or have earned college degrees. Recipients have attended such institutions as Dartmouth, Harvard, Stanford, Brigham Young University, UCLA, USC, University of California at Berkley, M.I.T., Rice University and the University of Miami.

Application Information
Students can obtain information about the Carolina, Mahatma and Riceland Rice Scholarship Program three ways:
• By visiting www.carolinarice.com/scholarship (for those in the New York and New Jersey Metro Area), www.mahatmarice.com/scholarship (for those residing in the Los Angeles, Miami, San Francisco and San Jose Metro Areas)or www.ricelandrice.com/scholarship (for those in the Chicago Metro Area); or
• By requesting application forms for the Mahatma, Carolina or Riceland Rice Scholarship program from their college advisor; or
• By contacting Univision radio stations in the New York/New Jersey, Los Angeles, Chicago, Miami, San Francisco and San Jose Metro Areas.

Carolina, Mahatma and Riceland Rice also offer a downloadable guide on “How to Write a Winning Essay” at all of the above mentioned websites.

Scholarship Guidelines
Eligible students must be high school seniors currently attending a high school in the metro areas of New York/New Jersey, Los Angeles, Chicago, Miami and San Francisco/San Jose. Essays of 150 to 250 words, typed or printed clearly, may be submitted in English or Spanish and will be judged on conciseness, creativity, originality and grammar. The essay topic is “Explain the personal challenges, other than financial, you expect to overcome in college.” Students must include their name at the top of the essay. Essays must be submitted with a completed application form.

Essays and completed application forms must be sent by regular mail only (no certified mail, email or overnight services) and postmarked no later than February 15, 2007 to: The Carolina, Mahatma and Riceland Rice Scholarship Program, 75-22 37th Avenue, #224 Jackson Heights, NY 11372.

Based in Houston, Texas, Riviana Foods Inc. (www.riviana.com) is one of the largest processors, marketers and distributors of branded and private label rice products in the United States. Principal brands include Mahatma® (www.mahatmarice.com), Minute Rice® (www.minuterice.com), Success® (www.successrice.com), Carolina® (www.carolinarice.com), WaterMaid® (www.watermaidrice.com), River® (www.riverrice.com), S & W® (www.s-and-wrice.com) and Gourmet House® (www.gourmethouserice.com). Riviana is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Ebro Puleva, S.A., the leading Spanish food group, with interests in sugar, dairy, rice and pasta products. Its brands include Puleva® dairy products; Azucarera® sugar; the Cigala®, Brilliante®, and Nomen® rice brands and Panzani® pasta.

Based in Stuttgart, Arkansas, Riceland Foods, Inc. (www.riceland.com) provides marketing services for rice products, soybeans, and wheat and has become a major soybean processor, rice exporter and oil producer. Riceland also offers rice products for private label packaging as well as bulk rice for club stores and bulk users. Riceland is the largest producer of top quality rice for the American food service industry and is a major provider of rice products for consumers.

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