Southwest Airlines Supports Usher’s New Look Foundation To Promote Youth Leadership Across The Nation

DALLAS – 2012-07-19 — /travelprnews.com/ — Southwest Airlines (NYSE: LUV) today announced that it will support world-renowned entertainer Usher’s New Look Foundation—a nonprofit organization that helps ensure the success of young people as leaders throughout the world. Southwest will provide travel assistance to help the foundation link youth from all over the country to unique learning opportunities like the organization’s Powered by Service Training, the Leadership Academy, and the World Leadership Conference in Atlanta, Georgia.

“The New Look Foundation gives deserving youth the tools they need to be global leaders, and we couldn’t be more excited to be a part of this effort,” said Debra Benton, Southwest Airlines Director of Community Relations and Charitable Giving. “Southwest has a passion for bringing people together and inspiring change, and we are proud to support an organization that equips youth to positively impact their communities.”

As part of the national partnership, Southwest supported the Foundation’s third annual World Leadership Conference aimed at empowering a group of aspiring seventh and eighth graders. Southwest Leaders, along with Southwest Board Member and Atlanta-native Veronica Biggins, hosted a Community Day training workshop to help each of these nearly four dozen youth identify his or her special talent, pinpoint an issue in their community, develop strategies to address the problem, and then implement a solution that helps others. Southwest Airlines’ Vice President of Ground Operations Jack Smith participated in the conference’s “CEO for a Day” where a New Look youth leader had the opportunity to shadow him and gain an in-depth perspective on his role and responsibilities as a Southwest Leader. To read more about Community Day and Southwest’s involvement with the youth in Usher’s New Look Foundation, visit the NUTS About Southwest blog.

“Southwest Airlines is known for its commitment to service, which is one of New Look Foundation’s four essential leadership pillars,” said Shawn Wilson, New Look President. “We are proud to have Southwest among our major investors. Their support enables New Look to connect youth from diverse communities across the United States at our third annual World Leadership Conference in Atlanta.”

About Southwest Airlines Co.
Southwest Airlines continues to differentiate itself from other low-fare carriers—offering a reliable product with exemplary Customer Service. Southwest Airlines is the nation’s largest carrier in terms of originating domestic passengers boarded. Southwest serves 73 cities in 38 states and is one of the most honored airlines in the world known for its commitment to the triple bottom line of Performance, People, and Planet. To read more about how Southwest is doing its part to be a good citizen, visit southwest.com/citizenship to read the Southwest Airlines One Report™. Based in Dallas, Southwest currently operates more than 3,400 flights a day and has more than 46,000 Employees systemwide.

About Usher’s New Look Foundation
When Usher Raymond IV founded Usher’s New Look Foundation in 1999, he wanted to find out the major issues facing youth today. He noticed a lack of positive role models and an inability of many youth to see beyond their current circumstances. He wanted to give youth a “new look” on life, as well as join forces with others to grow the foundation’s impact. Usher’s New Look Foundation strives to certify young people in four major leadership pillars—talent, education, career, and service—to ensure their success as they become leaders throughout the world.

SOURCE Southwest Airlines