Maryland Highway System Celebrates 100 Years of Road Building; Seeks to Empower Future Highway Leaders          
          
WHO: Maryland Highway Centennial & State Highway Administration (SHA) representatives          
Community organizations, businesses and area residents          
Local youth          
          
WHAT: Ten local youth will compete in downhill, gravity-powered racers that they built with a parent/adult for a chance to represent Baltimore at the 71st annual All-American Soap Box Derby presented by Levi Strauss Signature® brand in Akron, Ohio.           
          
The Maryland Highway Centennial and Maryland Highway Safety Foundation has sponsored 10 Baltimore-area youths in the competition in an effort to foster engineering ingenuity within the next generation of Maryland’s transportation stewards. The 2nd Annual Charm City Soap Box Derby is a production of Jaymine Enterprises, in conjunction with Baltimore’s Safe and Sound Campaign. Established in 1933, the All-American Soap Box Derby is an official Youth Initiative of NASCAR. The Baltimore race is one of 450 races held throughout the country each season.           
          
WHEN: Saturday, June 7, 2008 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.          
          
WHERE: Intersection of Hillen Road and 35th Street, Baltimore, MD 21218          
          
WHY: The All-American Soap Box Derby actively promotes the core values of teamwork, the spirit of competition, perseverance and an emphasis on family. Through the car construction workshop and the local race, local children are introduced to science and engineering, their state highway system, and are provided with valuable insight about the importance of road safety. As Maryland Highway Centennial affiliates celebrate 100 years of modern road building, they seek to encourage the ingenuity and safety of future industry leaders and highway users by supporting this event.          
          
Directions: From I-95 North toward Baltimore, take exit 53 (I-395 N) toward Downtown. Turn right onto W. Conway St. Make left onto Light St. (Stay toward the left on Light St.). Light St. turns into Calvert St. past Pratt St. continue north along Calvert St. to 33rd St. Make right onto 33rd St. and continue to Hillen Rd.