BizWorld Foundation ``BizKid'' to Ring the Closing Bell of the NYSE; Tim Draper, Managing Partner, Draper Fisher Jurvetson, Richard Moore, North Carolina State Treasurer and Paul Critchlow, Vice Chairman, Public Markets, Merrill Lynch to Attend.

NEW YORK -- Event Marks BizWorld Expansion into New York Promoting Business and Entrepreneurial Education for Children

In celebration of the BizWorld Foundation's expansion to New York City elementary schools, fourth-grader DaShae Whitney will ring the closing bell of the New York Stock Exchange on December 1, 2005. The BizWorld Foundation, a national not-for-profit organization dedicated to teaching entrepreneurship and business skills to children, invited Whitney, a BizWorld student from North Carolina, to lead the event, which will also include the BizWorld Foundation National Board of Directors, the State Treasurer of North Carolina, and the Merrill Lynch Foundation.

A reception and lively discussion will take place on the main trading floor of the exchange following the bell ringing. The topic: business in education. Guest speakers will include Tim Draper, Founder of BizWorld and Managing Director of Draper Fisher Jurvetson; Richard Moore, North Carolina State Treasurer; Catherine Kinney, President and Co-COO of the New York Stock Exchange; Paul Critchlow, Vice Chairman of Public Markets, Merrill Lynch; and BizWorld students from New York City's Bronx Preparatory Charter School.

"BizWorld empowers students to make informed financial decisions, and gives them the foundation they need to manage more complex financial situations in the future," remarked Richard Moore, North Carolina State Treasurer, member of the New York Stock Exchange Board of Executives, and a long-time BizWorld supporter.

Established in 1997, the BizWorld program began when venture capitalist Tim Draper was asked by his daughter to describe what he did at work everyday. Mr. Draper welcomed the challenge of explaining entrepreneurship and business to an eight-year-old and used her passion for making friendship bracelets to create a curriculum in which students play the roles of budding entrepreneurs, eager to build a successful business in the friendship bracelet industry. Recalls Mr. Draper: "It showed her that if you can add, subtract, multiply and divide - you can run a business." From initial funding to marketing campaigns and financial statements, the BizWorld program was developed to show students how business works by enabling them to experience it first-hand.

"BizWorld's hands-on curriculum not only teaches kids math, but lets them apply what they learn in school to the real world, so they understand how school prepares them for life," said Catherine Hutton, CEO/Executive Director of the BizWorld Foundation. "We are delighted to have the opportunity to ring the closing bell as it helps kick-off our expansion into New York City schools."

Merrill Lynch teamed up with the organization in 2002 to develop a second interactive curriculum, BizWiz, which teaches kids ages 7-11 about the financial markets and investing. BizWiz will be available in 2006.

"There is nothing more important than for youngsters to gain the knowledge and real-world skills that will enable them to succeed in our global economy," said Paul Critchlow, Merrill Lynch Vice Chairman of Public Markets. "Merrill Lynch, like BizWorld, believes in starting early and helping our next generation get a head start on success in business and in life."

Headquartered in San Francisco, the BizWorld Foundation's mission is to challenge and engage children across the cultural and economic spectrum through experiential learning programs that teach the basics of business, entrepreneurship, and money management and promote teamwork and leadership in the classroom. BizWorld established its first international partnership in the Netherlands in 2001, a partnership in Singapore followed in 2002 with the most recent additions in South Korea and India. To date, the BizWorld Foundation has reached over 100,000 students in all 50 states and in 84 countries.

About the BizWorld Foundation: The BizWorld Foundation is a national non-profit organization that provides curricula and activities for 3rd through 8th grade students. BizWorld empowers students by providing them with the knowledge, skills and awareness they need to establish a foundation for future financial responsibility and economic independence. By encouraging innovation and ambition, the BizWorld Foundation is bridging the gap between academics and the real world. Your support helps raise awareness of BizWorld programs, increase outreach and provide curricula for students. For more information about the BizWorld programs or to make a donation to the BizWorld Foundation, please go online at www.bizworld.org or send a check to: The BizWorld Foundation, 444 De Haro Street, Suite #203, San Francisco, CA 94107.

About Merrill Lynch's Philanthropy: Merrill Lynch was founded on the idea that the world is full of opportunity. Opening the door to that opportunity for underserved children and youth is the focus of the firm's global philanthropy. In 2004, the firm's giving totaled more than $35.5 million, with education receiving nearly half of that support. Merrill Lynch's Investing Pays Off(R) program--or IPO(R)--helps create a level playing field for youngsters of all backgrounds through financial literacy and business savvy. The program strength lies in a free curriculum, the involvement of Merrill Lynch volunteers and online educational resources at http://volunteer.ml.com.