Succeed Through Service Challenge Announces 2013 Winners

Inspiring submissions awarded US $1,000 to 10 partner schools.

Chevy Chase, Md. – Engage. Inspire. Contribute. These three principles continue to guide the Succeed Through Service global youth engagement program created by The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, L.L.C. as part of its Community Footprints social responsibility commitment.

All 80 hotels, as well as The Ritz-Carlton residences and destination clubs, are engaged in Succeed Through Service and partner with local schools and youth organizations, many of which work closely with children facing economic, social or personal challenges. The program focuses on helping young people to flourish through life-skills training, career exploration, and community service- learning projects to introduce them to civic responsibility. Over the past four years The Ritz-Carlton has supported over 12,000 young students around the world.

“Our Succeed Through Service Student Challenge provides an outstanding platform to mobilize our students worldwide to help address issues in their own community.” says Hervé Humler, president and chief operations officer, The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, LLC. “As the name suggests, Succeed Through Service is all about helping young people thrive and inspiring them do their best.”

The annual community projects bring together the students at partner schools with Ritz-Carlton Ladies and Gentlemen to create student-led service-learning projects supporting hunger relief, child well-being and environmental responsibility. Upon completion, the students are invited to enter the Student Challenge, share their Community Footprints project and the impact it made on their community. This year, to recognize the most inspiring projects, ten student groups, five from the Americas and five from Asia Pacific, Europe and the Middle East regions, were selected to receive a US $1,000 grant to support their education.

In Wolfsburg, Germany, the students at Heinrich-Nordhoff Comprehensive School worked with the Ladies and Gentlemen at their partner hotel, The Ritz-Carlton, Wolfsburg, to clean and help protect the ecosystem at a local vivarium. One student reflected on her class’s work by saying, “I now understand why we have to take care of our earth and each other. The project has changed a lot for me and my thinking.” The school is using the award to update the school library by purchasing new books, facilitate educational trips and provide funds to their partner school in Tanzania.

The students at Queens Satellite High School for Opportunity worked with their Succeed Through Service partner, The Ritz-Carlton New York, Central Park to develop a mentoring and tutoring program at the South Jamaica Queens Public Library. The aim was to create a safe, helpful environment where young students from the area could come after school for homework help. One of the Queen’s Satellite students shared, “My experience working at the library has been great because I was able to help elementary and kindergarten students…These kids have a future and it feels good to be doing my part.” The school will use the funds to cover the transportation costs for their students to visit prospective City and State University of New York colleges as well as assist with offsetting their college application fees.

Along with the additional eight winners of the Succeed Through Service Student Challenge, these inspiring community projects are a global showcase of youthful achievement.

Full list of winning schools/organizations:
Al Noor International School (The Ritz-Carlton, Bahrain)
Beijing Hospitality Institute (The Ritz-Carlton, Beijing & The Ritz-Carlton, Beijing Financial Street)
Heinrich Nordhoff School (The Ritz-Carlton, Wolfsburg)
Kenmore Middle School (The Ritz-Carlton, Pentagon City)
KIPP Academy (The Ritz-Carlton, New Orleans)
Kissimmee Middle School (The Ritz-Carlton, Orlando Grande Lakes)
Queens Satellite School (The Ritz-Carlton New York, Central Park)
Rashid bin Al Nazar School (Al Bustan Palace, A Ritz-Carlton Hotel, Oman)
Roosevelt High School (The Ritz-Carlton, Los Angeles)
Yi Fu Vocational and Polytechnic School (The Portman Ritz-Carlton, Shanghai)

About The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, L.L.C.
The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, L.L.C. of Chevy Chase, Md., currently operates 80 hotels in the Americas, Europe, Asia, the Middle East, Africa, and the Caribbean. More than 30 hotel and residential projects are under development around the globe. The Ritz-Carlton is the only service company to have twice earned the prestigious Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award which recognizes outstanding customer service. For more information, or reservations, contact a travel professional, call toll free in the U.S. 1-800-241-3333, or visit the company website at www.ritzcarlton.com. The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, L.L.C. is a wholly owned subsidiary of Marriott International, Inc. (NYSE: MAR)