BROOKLYN, N.Y., Feb. 6 /PRNewswire/ -- DaimlerChrysler's Chrysler Group today donated two vehicles, four engines and $25,000 to the Automotive High School in Brooklyn, N.Y. Community leaders and Chrysler Group executives attended special event to mark the donation of one of the company's Dodge Durangos, a Jeep(R) Liberty and four 3.5-liter V-6 engines; a donation valued at more than $98,000. More than 1,100 students -- 90 percent male, 70 percent African-American and 24 percent Latino -- from around New York City attend the Automotive High School. The school, established in 1937, is one of the only schools in the U.S. that offers a comprehensive automotive curriculum at the high school level. "DaimlerChrysler is committed to education," said Senior Manager - Civic and Community Relations Leven Weiss. "We're working together with local communities to build the curriculae students need today to prepare them for tomorrow's competitive automotive workplace. The automotive service and repair field demands strong diagnostic and computer skills. Automotive High School's educational programs provide the foundation the students need for an automotive career." "The support of the Chrysler Group is important to the Automotive High School and our students," said Automotive High School Principal Melissa H. Silberman. "We want to be able to provide the best resources, training and support possible so that our graduates have the skills auto industry employers need. With this money, we can purchase the furniture, books and computer systems we need to develop a critical resource -- a library -- for our school. The new Automotive High School library is badly needed to assist the 500 or so incoming freshman reach appropriate grade-level literacy standards." "The commitment of companies like the Chrysler Group have made the Automotive High School an outstanding educational resource for our community," said City Councilwoman Diana Reyna. "This sort of investment is nothing short of an investment in tomorrow's workforce." The Automotive High School provides students with hands-on training within its 15 auto shops, which include transmission labs, steering and suspension labs, welding labs, brake labs, body labs and a "green" lab where students work with alternative fuel vehicles. Students pursue a rigorous academic program that offers majors in auto mechanics, auto body or information technology. These aspiring automotive technicians receive specialized training that prepares them for the increasingly complex vehicle service field, including National Automotive Technicians Education Foundation (NATEF) Master Certification. The school also offers college credits through a partnership with the Bronx Community College. In addition to vehicle repair diagnosis and trouble shooting, Automotive High School offers English electives, automotive dealership apprentices, peer tutoring, computer literacy, PSAT/SAT preparation, critical reading/writing courses and advance-placement courses in world history, literature and biology. The Automotive High School is part of Automotive Youth Educational Systems (AYES), a partnership among participating automotive manufacturers, participating dealers and selected high schools. AYES is designed to encourage young people to pursue satisfying careers in retail automotive service and prepare them for entry-level career positions or advanced studies in automotive technology. AYES currently has more than 380 schools on its roster. DaimlerChrysler's Mercedes-Benz USA unit also supports the Automotive High School, having provided complete vehicles, engines and funding to help students there get hands-on training. DaimlerChrysler Corporation, also known as the Chrysler Group, is the Auburn Hills, Michigan-based unit of DaimlerChrysler AG. Employing more than 86,000 worldwide, DaimlerChrysler Corp. manufactures, markets, distributes and through its Chrysler, Jeep and Dodge dealers, sells cars, minivans, sport- utility vehicles and trucks to customers worldwide. Its Chrysler, Jeep(R) and Dodge feature some of the world's most recognizable vehicles including the Dodge Viper, Jeep Wrangler, Chrysler PT Cruiser and Chrysler 300C. Chrysler Group operates in more than 100 countries and in 2006, sold 2.8 million vehicles worldwide. Now in its 54th year, the DaimlerChrysler Corporation Fund is the primary source of charitable grants made by DaimlerChrysler Corporation. The Fund annually supports hundreds of charitable organizations with an emphasis on community growth, arts and culture, education and youth development programs throughout the United States and throughout the world. DATASOURCE: Chrysler Group CONTACT: David Elshoff, +1-248-512-2690, or , or Curtrise Garner, +1-248-512-2712, or , both of Chrysler Group Web site: http://www.media.daimlerchrysler.com/ http://www.daimlerchrysler.com/

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