2.11.2008 - 08:00am ET

(CSRwire) OVERLAND PARK, KA – February 11, 2008 – Sprint (NYSE: S) announced a new national education grant program called Sprint Ahead for Education to begin March 3.

Through the Sprint Ahead for Education grant program, the Sprint Foundation will award grants to school districts and individual schools to fund the purchase of resources that facilitate and encourage character education among K-12 students. With a national reach, the program is open to all U.S. public schools (K-12) and U.S. public school districts.

The Sprint Ahead for Education initiative will award individual school grants between $500 and $5,000 and school district grants between $10,000 and $25,000. In 2008, the Sprint Foundation plans to award up to $600,000 in combined grants to schools and school districts.

"Sprint, through the Sprint Foundation, is committed to helping educators develop the right character education initiatives for their student population. The Sprint Ahead for Education program allows teachers and administrators to implement programs that they know will work to encourage leadership, confidence and pride in their unique K-12 education setting," said Ralph Reid, President of the Sprint Foundation.

The Sprint Ahead for Education Grant program will accept applications for character-education programs that promote youth leadership, youth volunteerism, school pride and a positive school culture.

The grant application period will run from March 3 – April 15, 2008. For further information, examples of funded programs and the grant application please visit:

http://www.sprint.com/citizenship/education/sprintahead.

Educators will be notified in late June of their application's status, with grant recipient's funding being sent to the school or district central offices in mid-August.

About the Sprint Foundation

Since its establishment in 1989, the Sprint Foundation has provided nearly $100 million to community organizations across the country with a special emphasis on those supporting K-12 education, positive youth development, arts and culture outreach, school safety and Internet safety. Through direct grants and a robust matching-gifts program for employees and retirees, the Sprint Foundation creatively and thoughtfully delivers Sprint's commitment to championing the communities where Sprint customers and employees live.

About Sprint

Sprint Nextel offers a comprehensive range of wireless and wireline communications services bringing the freedom of mobility to consumers, businesses and government users. Sprint Nextel is widely recognized for developing, engineering and deploying innovative technologies, including two robust wireless networks serving 54 million customers at the end of the second quarter 2007; industry-leading mobile data services; instant national and international walkie-talkie capabilities; and a global Tier 1 Internet backbone. For more information, visit www.sprint.com.

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