Kohl’s Department Stores Awards $10,000 Scholarships to 10 Outstanding Young Volunteers

Today, Kohl’s Department Stores (NYSE: KSS) named 10 outstanding young volunteers as national winners of the Kohl’s Kids Who Care^® Scholarship Program. As Kohl’s celebrates 10 years of rewarding stand-up kids through the program, the company has increased its 2010 national scholarship totals to $10,000 per winner. In addition to recognizing these volunteers, ranging in age from nine to 18, with scholarships, Kohl’s will donate $1,000 to a nonprofit organization of each winner’s choice. The winnings come at a time when college tuition and fees have risen nearly five percent annually for the last decade according to the Trends in College Pricing 2009 report by The College Board.

"Through incredible acts such as creating a thriving literacy program at a homeless shelter, harvesting and selling honey to benefit cancer research and leading a local movement to promote teen health, our 2010 winners exemplify the true meaning of volunteerism and demonstrate that regardless of age, people are capable of remarkable and inspiring accomplishments,” said Julie Gardner, Kohl’s executive vice president and chief marketing officer. "For the past 10 years, Kohl’s has been proud to recognize and support the education of extraordinary kids and hope their selfless acts will inspire more young people to make a positive difference in the lives of others.”

This year’s winners were selected from more than 27,000 youth nominees nationwide for volunteer efforts reaching far above and beyond what is normally expected of children. These remarkable efforts include raising funds to provide education to underprivileged kids, starting organizations to raise awareness and money for childhood diseases and providing toys, books and supplies to local families in need.

National scholarship recipients include:

• Selchia Cain, 17, Kansas City, Mo. – Selchia started a local movement called "Health Hype: Super Size Your Minds…Not Your Bodies” to combat the rising problem of teen obesity in her area.
• Charles Dewey, 18, Corona, Calif. – Charles founded a literacy program at the Circle of Hope Family Shelter for the homeless, growing a weekly three person volunteer effort to a four times per week 22-volunteer initiative.
• Eileen Garrido, 11, Downey, Calif. – Born with a serious heart condition, Eileen founded the Beating Hearts Foundation and raised more than $930,000 in seven months for hospitals that treat children with cardiovascular diseases.
• Carolyn (Carly) Houlahan, 15, Devon, Pa. – Carly co-founded Hives for Lives, a sustainable honey business that has donated more than $160,000 to cancer hospitals and research centers across the country.
• Pearce Quesenberry, 12, Wilmington, Del. – Diagnosed with a rare brain cancer, Pearce started the Pearce Q. Foundation, which has directly helped more than 1,200 children and family members impacted by childhood cancer.
• Ben Sater, 18, Plano, Texas – Ben founded KidSwing, an annual children’s golf tournament for kids, by kids, that has raised more than $800,000 for community-supported Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children.
• Pooja Shah, 17, Fremont, Calif. – Pooja founded Just Start, Inc., a nonprofit supporting after-school programs for 600 low-income second and third graders at more than 40 elementary schools in California.
• Ashlee Smith, 11, Reno, Nev. – Ashlee founded Ashlee’s Toy Closet, and collected and donated more than 100,000 toys to kids in her community affected by natural disasters, personal tragedy and illness.
• Elizabeth (Lily) Toomey, 9, West Hartford, Conn. – Born with a congenital heart defect, Lily raised awareness of and funding for heart health by speaking at American Heart Association events, raising $100,000 for the cause.
• Jonathon White, 11, Stuarts Draft, Va. – Jonathon worked to collect, fold and pack approximately $500,000 worth of toys, clothes, school supplies, books and hygiene items for distribution to local families in need.

Since the Kohl’s Kids Who Care Scholarship Program began in 2001, Kohl’s has awarded more than 11,000 youth volunteers ages six to 18 with more than $2.2 million in scholarships and prizes. This year, Kohl’s recognized more than 2,100 nominees with more than $410,000 in scholarships and prizes. Each national winner will receive a total of $10,000 for college, and $1,000 from Kohl’s to donate to the non-profit of their choice. For more information or a complete list of Kohl’s Kids Who Care national-level winners, visit www.kohlskids.com.

The program is part of Kohl’s Cares, Kohl’s philanthropic program focused on improving the lives of children. Kohl’s Cares benefits children’s health and education initiatives nationwide through its cause merchandise program, featuring special books and plush toys where 100 percent of net profit benefits children’s health and education initiatives nationwide. In addition to the merchandise program, Kohl’s Cares features the Associates in Action program, which encourages associate volunteerism and provided more than $10 million in grants to youth-focused nonprofit organizations last year alone; and fundraising gift cards for schools and youth-serving organizations. For more information, visit www.kohlscorporation.com.

About Kohl’s

Based in Menomonee Falls, Wis., Kohl’s (NYSE: KSS) is a family-focused, value-oriented specialty department store offering moderately priced, exclusive and national brand apparel, shoes, accessories, beauty and home products in an exciting shopping environment. By the end of September, Kohl’s will operate 1,089 stores in 49 states with a commitment to environmental leadership. In support of the communities it serves, Kohl’s has raised more than $150 million for children’s initiatives nationwide through its Kohl’s Cares® cause merchandise program, which operates under Kohl's Cares, LLC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Kohl's Department Stores, Inc. For a list of store locations and information, or for the added convenience of shopping online, visit www.kohls.com.