$10,000 College Scholarship Introduced for Goddard School Grads

KING OF PRUSSIA, Pa., May 27 /PRNewswire/ -- Goddard Systems, Inc., today announced the winner of a new, first-of-its-kind annual scholarship program. All graduates of the nearly 300 Goddard School pre-kindergarten and kindergarten programs nationwide are eligible for the scholarship during their junior or senior years in high school, for use toward an accredited higher education program.

In a ceremony at the annual owner's convention for Goddard Systems, Chief Executive Officer Phil Schumacher awarded 17-year-old Connor Sullivan with the first $10,000 scholarship. Sullivan is a high school junior at Episcopal Academy in Devon, Penn., who graduated from the Goddard School located in King of Prussia.

The Anthony A. Martino Memorial Scholarship is named for the company's late founder, the entrepreneur who started several well-known franchises including Aamco Transmissions, Inc., and Maaco Auto Painting & Bodyworks, Inc. The scholarship recognizes student achievement in the spirit of Martino, whose life exemplified hard work and dedication.

"With thousands of graduates of The Goddard School around the country, numerous students are eligible to benefit from this scholarship every year," said Joe Schumacher, Chief Operating Officer of Goddard Systems, the franchisor of The Goddard School. "We invite students and parents to encourage the exceptional graduates of Goddard School programs to apply for the scholarship."

To be eligible, a student must be a graduate of a Goddard School pre- kindergarten or kindergarten program and plan to attend an accredited college or university. Parents of students graduating from both programs receive a certificate of eligibility and application form upon their child's completion of the program. An application form and criteria for evaluation will be posted on the company's Web site, www.goddardschool.com, in the fall of 2008.

About The Goddard School(R)

The Goddard School(R) (http://www.goddardschool.com/) is a nationwide franchise of Goddard Systems, Inc. headquartered in King of Prussia, Pennsylvania. With nearly 300 franchised schools nationwide and 40,000 children enrolled, Goddard is the fastest growing preschool in the United States. Goddard was recently recognized by Entrepreneur magazine as the "#1 Childcare Franchise" for the seventh consecutive year (January 2008) and was also recognized by Franchise Times magazine as one of the "Top 200" U.S.-based franchise systems by worldwide sales.