Continental Airlines Announces 'Volando Al Futuro/Flying Toward the Future' Upward Bound Ticket Recipients

HOUSTON, Aug. 18 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Continental Airlines has announced the names of six college-bound students from Houston, Los Angeles, Washington, D.C., and San Antonio who will receive airline tickets to visit college campuses through a partnership with Upward Bound programs called "Volando al Futuro/Flying Toward the Future." Continental provides the tickets to help Hispanic Upward Bound participants and their families explore opportunities for attending college away from home.

"I grew up in a place that showed me what happens to people without an education and I have no desire to follow that path. Fortunately, I had a family that encouraged me to excel in my classes," said Priscilla Elizondo, 18, a 2005 graduate of Roosevelt High School in East Los Angeles and a participant in the LINC TELACU Upward Bound program in Los Angeles. Elizondo will use the tickets to travel to Cornell University, where she plans to major in animal biology. "I'm very happy because now my mother will be able to see Cornell and she will be more comfortable with the idea of my going away to school."

The following Upward Bound participants received Continental tickets to visit college campuses (college name in parentheses).

* Houston Community College Upward Bound, Houston, Texas: Danielle Christine Leyva, Eastwood Academy Charter High School (New York University, New York, N.Y.); Carlos Rodriguez, Stephen F. Austin High School (University of California at Berkeley) * LINC TELACU Upward Bound, Los Angeles: Priscilla Elizondo, Roosevelt High School (Cornell University, Ithaca, N.Y.); Ken Ron, Huntington Park High School (Purdue University, West Lafayette, Ind.) * Latin American Youth Center Upward Bound, Washington, D.C.: Roberto Mendoza, Cardozo Senior High School (Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Worcester, Mass.) * Trinity University Upward Bound, San Antonio, Texas: Mark Sullivan, International School of the Americas (Boston College, Boston)

"These tickets help our youth to 'spread their wings and fly,'" said Elda Cisneros, Director, Houston Community College Upward Bound, Houston.

Continental began its "Volando al Futuro" partnership with Upward Bound, a project of the federal government's TRIO program designed to prepare low-income first-generation college-bound students for the college experience, in September 2002. Ticket recipients must be Upward Bound participants of Hispanic origin; each individual Upward Bound program handles its own application and selection requirements.

"We are pleased to help make it possible for these Upward Bound students to pursue their educational goals," said Maria Cristina Osorio, Manager of Public Relations, Latin America, Continental Airlines.

Continental operates nonstop flights to 74 destinations in 24 countries in Latin America and the Caribbean. Continental offers a number of Spanish-language services, including bilingual flight attendants on many flights to Latin America; and bilingual airport personnel, reservations agents and signage. From the U.S., passengers may make reservations in Spanish at 1-800-537-9222. Continental Airlines has been named for eight consecutive years to Hispanic Magazine's list of "100 Best Companies for Hispanics" (1998-2005).