The Jeep Brand Partners With the Jalen Rose Leadership Academy

AUBURN HILLS, MI--March 8, 2012:

Initiative includes development of a mentorship program, educational field trips and support of the academy's boys' and girls' basketball teams
Jeep brand will award $100,000 in college scholarships to the first graduating class

The Jeep brand has partnered up with the Jalen Rose Leadership Academy (JRLA), an open enrollment public charter high school in Detroit, to develop a multi phased development program to expose students to programs and events designed to enrich and develop their educational path.

Elements of the partnership include a mentoring program between Jeep brand employees and students, field trips to several Chrysler Group facilities, including the Jefferson North Assembly Plant and the Jeep Design Studio, development of a marketing project and sponsorship of the academy's boys' and girls' basketball teams.

"The Jeep brand is honored to partner with the Jalen Rose Leadership Academy and build a relationship within our community. This program is an authentic, hands-on approach that will fuel leadership, provide educational empowerment and develop life skills for the students," said Mike Manley, President and CEO �€“ Jeep Brand, Chrysler Group LLC. "With this program, we hope to help students reach their fullest potential."

"A philanthropic project of this nature requires support from the entire community, and it is a privilege to have the Jeep brand join our team," said Jalen Rose, JRLA Founder. "We will work together to have a positive influence on our future leaders."

The program kicked off in February and will continue for the next seven months. The Jeep brand also will award $100,000 in college scholarships to the first graduating class of the academy.

Jeep Brand Mentorship Program

Focusing on educational empowerment and the development of leadership skills, Jeep brand employees will partner with select students from the school to participate in a seven-month long mentorship program. Each session will focus on personal improvement skills such as goal setting and career planning.

Participating students also will embark on a series of educational excursions that will include a trip to the Chrysler Group's Jefferson North Assembly Plant in Detroit and a trip to the company's World Headquarters in Auburn Hills, Mich., where the students will visit the Jeep Design Studio and meet the designers.

In January, students attended the North American International Auto Show Preview, where they snapped photos of the event, Jeep vehicles and their favorite product features. Their task was to develop a photo journal that outlined their favorite Jeep brand vehicles.

Marketing Competition

Select academy students will participate in a marketing competition where they will be given an assignment to compete amongst each other and win an all-expense paid trip for a family of four to a USA Basketball exhibition game in Washington, D.C.

JRLA Basketball Team Sponsorship

The Jeep brand will sponsor the school's boys' and girls' basketball team. The sponsorship will provide funding to support their team fees, uniforms and equipment.

About JRLA

The Jalen Rose Leadership Academy is an open enrollment, public charter high school on the northwest side of Detroit. The academy opened its doors in September 2011 to 120 ninth-grade students; an additional freshman class will be added each subsequent year. Detroit area students receive a leadership-focused education based upon real-world, project-based experiences within the career context of sports and entertainment. Students will receive extensive college exposure and course opportunities through a partnership with the University of Detroit Mercy. Immersed in the culture of college, they will take three university courses as upperclassmen to ensure a seamless transition for college entry. As a Michigan Future Schools initiative grant recipient, the academy recognizes their expectation of 85 percent high school graduation, 85 percent college enrollment, and 85 percent college graduation, and will meet or exceed these standards. For more information about the school, please visit Jalen Rose Detroit