IGA AWARDS TRIPS TO U.S. SPACECAMP

CHICAGO, IL - IGA today announced the names of 70 children and seven teachers who have been awarded scholarships to U.S. Space Camp and Space Academy for Educators, respectively, through IGA’s Explore the Store scholarship program.

Explore the Store is a national space-themed promotional campaign that encourages customers to familiarize themselves with their IGA surroundings and try new products. The focal point of the Explore the Store marketing event is the IGA/U.S. Space Camp scholarship program, the largest privately funded scholarship program offered in the United States for space exploration. To date, Explore the Store has awarded full-scholarships to more than 200 of IGA’s Hometown Proud kids, as well as 10 teachers.

IGA, INC., IGA Retailers and Red Oval Family sponsors purchased reduced rate trips to be awarded by region during the 2004 IGA Explore the Store marketing event’s scholarship contest. Participating children between the ages of nine and 12 were asked to complete a scholarship application that included essay and artistic components. Judging of the more than 400 entries was performed by a specifically appointed IGA marketing events educational committee. IGA, INC., also awarded seven teacher scholarships (one each per region-awarded by random drawing) to teachers who use the scholarship program as a part of their class curriculum.

“Our association with IGA has been one of the most successful ventures of this type in years,” Larry Capps, CEO of the U.S. Space and Rocket Center said. “ It’s been good for IGA and Space Camp, but it’s the kids who get the most out of it, and we think it’s helping to shape their futures.”
Student winners of the scholarship contest will be attending U.S. Space Camp the week of August 15 – 20, 2004, in Huntsville, Ala. Travel arrangements have been made through Delta Air Lines—the official carrier for the IGA/US Space Camp Scholarship Program.

While there, children will engage in a five-day team-focused program composed of a mix of spaceflight history and hands-on, interactive space simulation. Team spirit will be solidified as campers participate in communications and trust exercises, design a mission patch specific to their team, and trained in the Intrepid Space Shuttle Mission simulator. During Missions, team members will alternate between the Space Shuttle crew and Mission Control, experiencing how a launch would feel from both sides.

The seven winning teachers have been awarded trips to attend Space Academy of Educators. While there they will participate in astronaut-style training and simulations, along with activities developed to promote life-long learning in a classroom setting. All lessons and activities are correlated to National Science and Math Standards and are ready to use in the classroom.

“The Explore the Store marketing event has been one of the most successful marketing programs IGA has had to date,” IGA Area Director Bill Overman said. “With each year IGA Retailers become more and more dedicated to providing the opportunity for Hometown Proud children and teachers across the country to derive inspiration from this unique scholarship program.”

IGA, the only global supermarketer based in the United States, is the world’s largest voluntary supermarket network with aggregate worldwide retail sales of more than $21 billion per year. The Alliance includes more than 4,000 Hometown Proud Supermarkets worldwide, supported by 36 distribution companies and more the 55 major manufacturers, vendors and suppliers encompassing everything from grocery to equipment items. IGA ranks in the top 10 in world food supermarketing. IGA has operations in 48 of the United States and more than 40 countries, commonwealths and territories on all six inhabited continents.

For additional information about Space Camp and Space Academy programs, call toll-free, 1-800-63 SPACE or visit the web site at www.spacecamp.com. A complete list of winners is available upon request.