Toyota International Teacher Program Expands; First-Time Teachers from 'The Empire State' and 'The Nation's Capitol' among Those to Travel to Japan as Educational Ambassadors.

TORRANCE, Calif. -- Eleven teachers from New York and Washington, D.C. will be the first from their states to travel to Japan in June as part of a delegation of 59 U.S. teachers chosen to participate in an educational ambassador excursion made possible through the Toyota International Teacher Program (TITP), now in its seventh year. The teachers will spend two rigorous weeks traveling through five cities from Tokyo to Nagasaki while learning about Japan's past and present, and exploring key global issues. With the addition of New York and Washington, D.C., the TITP program is now being hailed as one of the most distinguished teacher study abroad programs in the country.

For the past 7 years, the International Teacher Program has attracted interest from more than 4,000 teachers who have applied to participate. This year, with the addition of teachers from two of the largest and most culturally rich metropolises in the United States, the delegation of teachers are representative of the national education system and will serve to bring unique perspectives to the people they meet in Japan, as well as to U.S. students upon their return to the classroom.

"Teachers are in a unique position to help broaden their students' perspectives regarding the global community in which we live," said Jim Press, executive vice president and COO of Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A. Inc. "What better way to provide students with the tools they need to build cultural bridges than to allow teachers to expand their curriculum and enhance their teaching expertise through international study."

Funded through an annual $825,000 grant from Toyota Motor Sales (TMS), U.S.A. Inc., the program is the only one of its kind sponsored by a major U.S. corporation. The Institute of International Education (IIE) in Washington, D.C., the nation's most experienced nonprofit educational exchange organization, administers the program. Including this year's participants, a total of 310 teachers from around the country have participated in the program over its 7-year history. This year's trip will take place June 24 through July 11.

"The Toyota International Teacher Program provides teachers with experiences and tools they can use to strengthen their students' abilities to think and act on a cooperative and global basis," said IIE President and CEO Dr. Allan E. Goodman.

TITP focuses on four themes - history, education, environment, and technology - and how these affect industry and society. An exciting addition to this year's program is a two-day visit to the 2005 World EXPO in Aichi, Japan. The EXPO will focus on how the global community is dealing with environmental issues, natural resources and energy. Other activities include visits to schools, shrines, conservation sites and factories to discussions with well-known authors, historians, educators and business leaders.

The 59 teachers, who instruct students in a variety of subjects, are chosen from 10 states where Toyota operates manufacturing, research and design facilities, and regional operational offices - Alabama, California, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Missouri, Texas, West Virginia, New York and Washington, D.C. Teachers are selected based on their professional and leadership qualifications, as well as their plans to incorporate their experiences and research into their curriculum. To be eligible teachers must be a U.S. citizen, employed full-time as a secondary classroom teacher (grades 9-12), and have a minimum of 3 years teaching experience.

Two of this year's participants are program alumni who will return to Japan as Toyota's first "Traveling Alumni" to help mentor members of the new group, as well as extend their own previous Toyota International Teacher Program experience.

The Toyota International Teacher Program demonstrates the company's long-standing commitment to supporting education. In 2004, Toyota U.S.A. contributed $31 million to U.S. philanthropic programs, with nearly 44 percent supporting education. Besides donating to a wide range of educational organizations, Toyota has created its own innovative programs, including grants for science teachers, scholarships for students, technical training and family literacy programs.

Founded in 1957, TMS is the sales, marketing, distribution and customer service arm of Toyota, Lexus and Scion in the United States, marketing products and services through a network of 1,415 dealers in 49 states.

About Toyota's Education Programs

In addition to sponsoring a number of nonprofit educational organizations, Toyota offers three major programs that support teachers with grants and students with scholarships: Toyota TAPESTRY, the largest K-12 science teacher grant program in the U.S.; Toyota Community Scholars, which provides 100 scholarships to high school seniors based on academics and community service; and the Toyota International Teacher Program. Toyota also supports scholarships through the Hispanic Scholarship Fund; United Negro College Fund; Marine Corps Scholarship Foundation; National FFA; and the American Indian College Fund. For more information visit www.toyota.com/community or contact Rhonda Glasscock at [e-mail].

About the Institute of International Education

An independent, nonprofit organization founded in 1919, the Institute is the world's most experienced global higher education and professional exchange organization. IIE designs and implements over 200 programs of study and training for students, educators, young professionals and trainees from all sectors with funding from government and private sources. IIE also conducts policy research and provides advice and counseling on international educational opportunities abroad. The Institute of International Education has a network of 15 offices worldwide, over 800 college and university members, and more than 5,000 volunteers. Information about IIE can be obtained from IIE's Web site, www.iie.org, or by contacting Nancy Overholt at [e-mail].