CARTERSVILLE, Ga. (July 7, 2008) – Some students in Bartow County aren’t taking the traditional lazy summer break from school. Instead, they’re rolling up their sleeves and spending several weeks working hard to beautify Bartow County as part of the Anheuser-Busch Green Team.

This summer the “Green Team” is improving the quality of life for area residents, advancing their education and earning much-needed money in the process. The eight-week project is conducted by the Atlanta Urban League Summer Youth Employment Program (SYEP) with support from the Anheuser-Busch Cartersville brewery, providing jobs for students at Cartersville, Adairsville, Cass or Woodland high schools.

One of the core priorities of the Green Team is to teach job skills to the participants. “This Anheuser-Busch summer program provides students with unique on-the-job training in a non-threatening, learning atmosphere, and helps beautify our community in the process,” said Michael Murphy, plant manager for the Cartersville brewery. “Equally if not more important, this team-building program teaches the students important lessons they will carry with them for a lifetime.

“Like Anheuser-Busch, the Urban League of Atlanta has a proud tradition and we’re pleased to partner with them for our annual Green Team program,” said Murphy. “We feel it is important for corporations like Anheuser-Busch to reach out and demonstrate to these students that someone believes in them enough to offer a job and to teach essential skills.”

The Green Team summer youth program is under the umbrella of the Atlanta Urban League’s Education and Youth Services Department. This marks the 17th year that the Anheuser-Busch brewery in Cartersville, through the Green Team program, has funded summer employment for area students.

“The involvement of Anheuser-Busch and our various work site partners is critical in the development of these students since it demonstrates much-needed support for our youth,” said Priscilla Kitt-Robinson, Atlanta Urban League. “It makes a lasting impression when a company like Anheuser-Busch believes in them enough to offer this extraordinary career development and learning opportunity.”

To be selected for the Green Team, the students completed written applications and interviews and a 250-word essay describing why they wanted to be a member of the team. Members needed to demonstrate strong academic ability and to present personal recommendations from their schools.

Team members range in age from 16 to 21. They are working eight hours a day Monday through Friday for the eight-week program. The Green Team is performing work at Hickory Log Vocational School, the Salvation Army, New Beginnings Outreach, Tranquility House, Habitat for Humanity, Good Shepherd Foundation, as well as the homes of nine separate senior citizens.

The Green Team activity will conclude July 25 with a commemorative luncheon and a career day that helps team members learn how to prepare a resume and search for a job. Students will also learn presentation and other professional skills and participate in a panel discussion with Anheuser-Busch employees on the importance of setting and attaining goals.

“We have an intelligent, creative group this year who feel a need to give something back to their communities,” said Kitt-Robinson. “We began the summer with a team-building exercise and at that point these students really began to gel. They plan to create a Green Team ‘jingle’ and to assemble a DVD to show their sponsors what they’ve accomplished this summer.”

This year, Anheuser-Busch will contribute almost $500,000 to sponsor Green Team initiatives in the cities in which it operates breweries. The company also has sponsored Green Teams at summer and winter Olympic competitions, entertainment events and major sports events.

Anheuser-Busch, the parent company of the Cartersville brewery, and its charitable foundation have contributed more than $2.3 million to the Cartersville community during the past decade.