Ming-Ming Tran of Princeton Junction, New Jersey Advances in Reader's

PLEASANTVILLE, N.Y., April 18 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Ming-Ming Tran, a sixth grade student from Thomas R. Grover Middle School in Princeton Junction, the New Jersey state winner of the third annual Reader's Digest National Word Power Challenge(SM) -- a vocabulary competition and educational outreach program of Reader's Digest -- today became one of ten contestants to advance to the championship round to be held tomorrow at Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida.

The ten finalists will vie for $50,000 in college scholarships tomorrow (4/19). The first place winner will receive a $25,000 college scholarship. Second and third place winners will receive college scholarships of $15,000 and $10,000. The winners will also receive Reader's Digest products for their schools.

"No matter what happens in the championship round tomorrow," stated Kathleen Bordelon, executive director of Reader's Digest National Word Power Challenge(SM), "these ten finalists can be proud of their success in all three levels of competition ... school, state and now national."

Since August 2004, some 1.6 million fourth through eighth grade students have competed nationwide in the Reader's Digest National Word Power Challenge(SM). The competition began last fall with school-administered contests, followed by championships in all 50 states, Washington, D.C. and the Department of Defense Dependents Schools in March.

Al Roker, a host of NBC's Today show, returns as quiz master for the championship round.

The Reader's Digest National Word Power Challenge(SM) is a program of Reader's Digest, the most widely read magazine in the world, and the Reader's Digest Association, Inc. . Schools are encouraged to register for next year's competition at http://www.wordpowerchallenge.com/ .

Al Roker Productions, Inc. will produce a television program of the Reader's Digest National Word Power Challenge(SM) championship event. The show will air on NBC stations nationwide May 13 - 15 (check local listings).