PHOENIX--(BUSINESS WIRE)--July 19, 2006--You could say that 18-year-old Hillary Wragge of Mesa, AZ has been forced to grow up fast. When her mother was diagnosed with ovarian cancer more than a year ago, Ms. Wragge had to balance school with a job to help support her family.

Marcus Ricketts, 18, of Phoenix is no stranger to hardship either.
As a child, he had a brain tumor removed and has undergone extensive follow up testing that has led to periodic absences from school.

And Robert Adams, 18, of El Mirage, AZ has watched his parents struggle to make ends meet all his life. That's why he would like to start a new family tradition, by becoming the first person in his family to attend college.

The Pepsi Bottling Group Foundation (The PBG Foundation) is saluting all three students for their dedication to their studies, involvement in their communities and ability to overcome obstacles by awarding them its Rising Stars Scholarships. The winners will receive a $2,500 scholarship award, renewable for up to three additional years for a total of $10,000, or until they earn a bachelor's degree.

"My mom came in the room screaming when she got the letter saying I won," said Robert Adams. "Everybody in my family was just really excited."

The PBG Foundation will present the scholarships to the Phoenix area winners on Tuesday, July 25 at 6 p.m. during a ceremony at Aunt Chilada's restaurant, 7330 North Dreamy Draw Drive in Phoenix.

The Rising Stars Program is designed to provide an opportunity for urban youth who have the potential and desire to succeed in college, but who may have been overlooked for traditional scholarships because their grade point averages were not high enough. The PBG Foundation selected 18 Rising Stars winners in all, from four metro areas:
Boston, Baltimore, Atlanta and Phoenix.

"Our Rising Stars Program helps students who have demonstrated a commitment to their studies and their communities," said Ed Rodriguez, Vice President of Diversity at PBG. "Many have made these contributions despite facing significant obstacles in their own lives
- and we salute them for their perseverance."

Applicants had to maintain a grade point average between 2.5 and 3.5, show evidence of leadership and participation in school and community, submit recommendations and answer several questions about their educational aspirations. A selection committee comprised of PBG employees reviewed the applications and chose the winners.

The Pepsi Bottling Group, Inc. (NYSE:PBG) (www.pbg.com) is the world's largest manufacturer, seller and distributor of Pepsi-Cola beverages with operations in the U.S., Canada, Greece, Mexico, Russia, Spain and Turkey.

Copyright Business Wire 2006

Pepsi Bottling Group, Inc.

Pepsi Bottling Group, Inc.

The Pepsi Bottling Group (PBG) is the world's largest manufacturer, seller and distributor of Pepsi-Cola beverages — some of the world's most recognized consumer brands. PBG became a publicly-traded company in March 1999 through one of the largest initial public offerings in the history of the New York Stock Exchange. PBG generates nearly $11 billion in annual sales. It operates in the United States, Canada, Greece, Mexico, Russia, Spain and Turkey, accounting for more than one-half of the Pepsi-Cola beverages sold in North America, and about 40 percent of the Pepsi-Cola system volume worldwide.

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