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Lifetime Networks, CosmoGIRL and Declare Yourself Announce Winners of the 2008 Future Frontrunners Contest to Attend Democratic and Republican National Conventions

NEW YORK, Aug. 20 /PRNewswire/ -- Lifetime Networks, CosmoGIRL and the nonpartisan, nonprofit campaign Declare Yourself, announced today the winners of the 2008 Future Frontrunners contest for high school and college students to identify and inspire the next generation of women leaders. In support of the contest, "High School Musical" star Vanessa Hudgens lends her voice to a public service announcement (PSA) saluting the winners, airing on Lifetime Networks and myLifetime.com throughout the next month.

The 16 winners -- two on the national level, seven from theDenver-area and seven from theMinneapolis/St.Paul-area -- will receive the once-in-a-lifetime chance to attend the Democratic National Convention (DNC) inDenver or the Republican National Convention (RNC) inSt. Paul, MN. Katherine Robertson fromTulsa, OK was awarded the all expense paid trip to the DNC. Robertson, who attends Okalahoma State University and is majoring in political science and history, is an intern in theWashington, DC office of Congressman Tom Cole. Stephanie Moore fromKansas City, MO will join the Republican Party with a trip to their convention inSt. Paul. Stephanie is a student at Tulane University, double majoring in International Relations and Latin American Studies with a minor in Spanish. The competition was open to women nationwide, ages 16-22.

At the conventions, Lifetime's Future Frontrunners will attend a leadership boot camp and meet with the country's top women in politics, business, journalism and advocacy to learn how to impact public policy, and the importance of the women's vote. Speakers at the Future Frontrunners Summit to be held during the DNC include Rep. Rosa DeLauro, Rep. Carolyn Maloney, Rep. Loretta Sanchez, Rep. Jan Schakowsky and Marie Wilson from The White House Project. InSt. Paul, speakers at the Future Frontrunners Summit include Rep. Marsha Blackburn, Jo Ann Davidson (Co-Chair, Republican National Committee), Rep. Mary Fallin, Beth Frerking from Politico, Rep. Cathy McMorris-Rodgers and Rep. Heather Wilson. The young women will also take a tour to see the behind-the-scenes activities on the floor, of both conventions and Declare Yourself will showcase one of the original copies of the Declaration ofIndependence.

    The regional Future Frontrunners winners include:

    Democratic National Convention Attendees
       -- Katherine Newell/Littleton, CO
       -- Alyssa Roberts/Denver, CO
       -- Marrisa Flores/Greeley, CO
       -- Joanna Bossi/Denver, CO
       -- Michele Stillwell-Parvensky/Denver, CO
       -- Audrey Kline/Arvada, CO
       -- Sahar Babak/Fort Collins, CO


    Republican National Convention Attendees
       -- Kristen Orlando/Green Bay, WI
       -- Thandisizwe Jackson-Nisan/Minneapolis, MN
       -- Erika Banchy/Eau Claire, WI
       -- Jillian Chmiel/Minneapolis, MN
       -- Mary Heath/Golden Valley, MN
       -- Caitlin Moriarty/Shoreview, MN
       -- Fayise Abrahim/Worthington, MN

About Future Frontrunners

Future Frontrunners, first created in 2004, is part of Lifetime Networks' award-winning, nonpartisan Every Woman Counts campaign. To help promote the contest, Lifetime Networks aired PSAs featuring artist and actress Ashlee Simpson. Contestants submitted written or video essays at myLifetime.com answering the question, "What would you do if you were president?" Winning entries were selected by a distinguished, bipartisan panel of judges, including Rep. Kay Granger (R-TX), Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D-NY), Candy Crowley, Senior Political Correspondent, CNN, and Dr. Donna Shalala, President, University of Miami.

About Every Woman Counts

Every Woman Counts is the only public service campaign dedicated to encouraging women to speak out on the issues they care about most, register and vote and run for office. For the first time, the 2008 Every Woman Counts initiative is leveraging the power of the #1 and #2 television networks' for women -- Lifetime and Lifetime Movie Network (LMN) -- and include the most extensive on-air programming, digital content and grassroots efforts to date. To expand the effort and reach women everywhere they live, work and play, Lifetime launched the first-ever Every Woman Counts media and advocacy coalition in partnership with REDBOOK, CosmoGIRL, Marie Claire, celebrities, experts and hundreds of women's nonprofit organizations representing more than 15 million women from all sides of the political spectrum.

LIFETIME is the leader in women's television and one of the top-rated basic cable television networks. A diverse, multi-media company, LIFETIME is committed to offering the highest quality entertainment and information programming, and advocating a wide range of issues affecting women and their families. LIFETIME Television, Lifetime Movie Network, Lifetime Real Women and Lifetime Digital (including myLifetime.com) are part of LIFETIME Entertainment Services, a 50/50 joint venture of Hearst Corporation and The Walt Disney Company.

About CosmoGIRL/Project 2024

CosmoGIRL (www.cosmogirl.com) empowers and inspires young women to be leaders in all aspects of their lives. From setting the latest trends to standing up for what they believe in, our readers were Born To Lead. CosmoGIRL publishes ten issues annually, as well as CosmoGIRL Prom. Teens can also interact with the brand on the digital front, with CosmoGIRL.com, CosmoGIRL mobile (m.cosmogirl.com), and an original webisode series covering up-and-coming fashion designers. In addition to its U.S. flagship, CosmoGIRL publishes 7 editions around the world. The magazine is published by Hearst Magazines, a unit of Hearst Corporation (www.hearst.com) and one of the world's largest publishers of monthly magazines, with nearly 200 editions around the world, including 19 U.S. titles and 20 magazines in theUnited Kingdom, published through its wholly owned subsidiary, The National Magazine Company Limited. Hearst reaches more adults than any other publisher of monthly magazines (77.4 million total adults, according to MRI, Fall 2007).

About Declare Yourself

Declare Yourself, founded by Norman Lear, is a national nonpartisan, nonprofit campaign to empower and encourage every eligible 18-29-year-old in America to register and vote in the 2008 presidential election. Using the power of strategic media partnerships, celebrity spokespeople, the sports arena, and most importantly, mobile and Internet technology, Declare Yourself's campaign blankets the landscape of popular culture with a simple, clear message: REGISTER and VOTE! Declare Yourself registered 1.2 million young people in 2004 and has targeted 2 million registrations in 2008.

SOURCE Lifetime Networks

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