Celebrating the 20th Anniversary of The Lewis Hine Awards

-- INTERVIEWS/PHOTOS AVAILABLE

-- NATIONAL CHILD LABOR COMMITTEE--THE LEWIS HINE AWARDS

-- SALUTE 12 AMERICAN HEROES FOR OUTSTANDING SERVICE TO YOUTH

-- BUSINESS LEADERS FRANK A. BENNACK, JR., GEOFFREY T. BOISI, RAYMOND G. CHAMBERS, and LAURIE M. TISCH RECEIVE THE DISTINGUISHED SERVICE AWARD

-- EDWARD LEWIS RECEIVES THE RONALD H. BROWN AWARD

The National Child Labor Committee (NCLC) today announced thenames of its twelve 2006 Lewis Hine Awards Honorees, The DistinguishedService Award Honorees, and The Ronald H. Brown Award Honoree.

The Awards recognize outstanding service on behalf of children andyouth. They will be presented on Monday, January 30, 2006 in New YorkCity at the Time & Life Building, 1271 Ave of the Americas,5:30-8:00PM. C. Robert Henrikson, President and Chief OperatingOfficer of MetLife, Inc. is this year's event chair.

"As we celebrate the 20th anniversary of The Lewis Hine Awards, wealso recognize some outstanding individuals who have made strong,concerted efforts to benefit children and youth," said C. RobertHenrikson, President and Chief Operating Officer of MetLife, Inc."This year's Honorees have not only influenced children today, theyhave also impacted the future lives of children, who will one day lookback with appreciation for all that has been done to help them growand develop into exceptional adults."

THE 2006 DISTINGUISHED SERVICE AWARD

Each year the NCLC presents the Distinguished Service Award tobusiness leaders and individuals in the public eye who have made apositive impact on the welfare of the nation's youth. This year'sHonorees are:

FRANK A. BENNACK, JR., Chairman of Lincoln Center for thePerforming Arts and Vice Chairman of the Board and Chairman of theExecutive Committee of The Hearst Corporation;

GEOFFREY T. BOISI, Chairman and Senior Partner of RoundtableInvestment Partners LLC and Chairman and Co-Founder of MENTOR/NationalMentoring Partnership;

RAYMOND G. CHAMBERS, Philanthropist and Co-Founder ofMENTOR/National Mentoring Partnership;

LAURIE M. TISCH, Philanthropist, Cultural Arts Leader, andFounding Chairperson of The Center for Arts Education Center.

THE 2006 RONALD H. BROWN AWARD

Each year the NCLC presents the Ronald H. Brown Award honoring thework and memory of Ronald H. Brown, a former Chairman of the NationalChild Labor Committee, U.S. Secretary of Commerce, and lifelong childadvocate. This tribute honors an American leader who has overcomeprejudice and discrimination and who uses his or her public platformto help today's young people do the same. This year's Honoree isEDWARD LEWIS, Founder and Chairman of Essence. Tracey L. Brown,daughter of the late Ronald H. Brown, will present the award.

THE 2006 LEWIS HINE AWARD HONOREES:

JAMES PIPER BOND OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND, President and CEO ofLiving Classrooms Foundation

CECILY COLEMAN OF ALBANY, NEW YORK, Creator of Children ofPrisoners Initiative of Prison Families of New York

GLENN AND PAT DOUGHTY OF LOCUST GROVE, OKLAHOMA, Foster Parentsfor Rainbow Homes, a program of The Parent Child Center of Tulsa, Inc.

HELEN FOX OF ALBUQUERQUE, NEW MEXICO, Liaison of APS Title IHomeless Project of the Albuquerque Public Schools

SCOTT BERNARD PETERSON OF WASHINGTON, D.C., Youth Development andJuvenile Justice Specialist of the Office of Justice DelinquencyPrevention/U.S. Department of Justice, Founding Director of theColonie Youth Court

RONALD POWELL OF OAK RIDGE, TENNESSEE, Director of the Associationfor Retarded Citizens of Anderson County Summer Playground Program andteacher at Woodland Elementary School

MARILYN ISAACSON SIMONDS OF AUBURN, MAINE, Volunteer Board Memberat Androscoggin Head Start and Child Care

JOYCE SONN AND ROBERT BRANDHORST OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, Directorand Executive Director, respectively, of Youth Education and Health(YEHS) in Soulard and YouthBuild St. Louis AmeriCorps

HELENA STEPHENS OF SEATTLE, WASHINGTON, Recreation & SpecialServices Acting Manager for the City of Bellevue Parks & CommunityServices Department

RUSSELL SULLIVAN OF WASHINGTON, D.C., Volunteer of the CapitalArea WAVE-Reach program, Democratic Staff Director of the UnitedStates Senate Committee on Finance

The Lewis Hine Awards

Named for acclaimed photographer Lewis Wickes Hine, the Awardswere established by the NCLC in 1985. This year is the 20thanniversary of the awards. In the early 20th Century, Hine'sunsettling images of children laboring in sweatshops, coal mines,textile mills, and on farms advanced the enactment of state andfederal laws to protect the rights of children in the workplace.

Judges from corporations, nonprofits, and foundations selectedaward recipients from hundreds of nominations submitted by governors,mayors, CEOs, and nonprofit leaders. The Honorees join a select groupof dedicated individuals who reach out daily to improve the futures ofyoung people. Each receives a $1,000 award and a trip to the awardsceremony.

The National Child Labor Committee

NCLC is a nonprofit organization founded in 1904 and incorporatedby an Act of Congress in 1907 to promote the rights, dignity,well-being, and education of children and youth as they relate to workand the workplace. NCLC continues to be a leading force in ensuringchild labor law compliance, transforming the workplace into a learningenvironment, improving youth occupational safety and health, educatingchildren, and increasing public awareness of the rights of children.

MetLife

MetLife, a subsidiary of MetLife, Inc. (NYSE: MET), is a leadingprovider of insurance and other financial services to millions ofindividual and institutional customers. As sponsor of the 2006 LewisHine Awards, MetLife carries on the company's long-standing traditionof community involvement. Recognizing the vital role that young peopleplay in the future of our country, MetLife and MetLife Foundationsupport organizations which provide opportunities for young people tolearn and grow and encourage mentoring. MetLife has supported TheLewis Hine Awards since 1988.

For more information about The Lewis Hine Awards and the NationalChild Labor Committee, e-mail NCLC05HINE@AOL.COM or call1-212-840-1801 x 23.