Chicago Students Dressed for Success in Job Interviews with $350,000 Apparel Donation from Cintas

CHICAGO - Cintas Corporation (Nasdaq CTAS) donated 215 boxes of new blazers, skirts, pants and blouses to Chicago Public Schools. The donation, valued at $350,000, will be used by the city's students for college and job interviews.

"Our Education-to-Careers Program provides career and academic training to Chicago 's youth," said Jill Wine-Banks, chief officer of Education-to-Careers, Chicago Public Schools. "To utilize these skills in the professional arena, the students need to dress professionally. Cintas' generous gift makes that possible and it is truly going to have an impact on our students' futures."

Program supporters maintain that if the uniform industry's research holds true in personal settings, students will be afforded additional benefits and a veritable "competitive edge" aside from their academic skills and determination, stated Wine-Banks. According to a 2000 study by JD Power and Associates for the Uniform and Textile Service Association, professional clothing increases the perceived trust and credibility of the wearer.

"What makes us most proud is that with this donation these students will be able to walk into an interview dressed for success, said Bill Cronin, President of the Cintas National Account Sales Division. "Making a difference is the hallmark of our Cintas culture, and we thank Chicago Public Schools for letting us share it with the City's kids.

Fortune Magazine named Cintas one of America 's most admired companies each year from 2001 to 2004, and America 's "Most Admired Company" in the diversified outsourcing industry in 2001 and 2004. Forbes Magazine named Cintas one of the "Best Managed" companies in America in 2004 and one of the "Best Big Companies in the World" each year from 1999-2003. The company was recently named the fourth best employer in Canada by Report on Business Magazine and received the Matthew 25: Ministries Corporate Humanitarian Award and the Massachusetts Exemplary Employer Award in 2003.

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CPS "Education-to-Careers" students attended the 6th annual Culinary and Hospitality Showcase Dinner in formal attire - donated by Cintas

About Cintas:
Headquartered in Cincinnati , Cintas Corporation provides highly specialized services to businesses of all types throughout North America . Cintas designs, manufactures and implements corporate identity uniform programs, and provides entrance mats, restroom supplies, promotional products and first aid and safety products for over 500,000 businesses. Cintas is a publicly held company traded over the Nasdaq National Market under the symbol CTAS, and is a Nasdaq-100 company and component of the Standard & Poor's 500 Index. The Company has achieved 34 consecutive years of growth in sales and earnings, to date.

About Chicago Public Schools Office of Education to Careers (ETC):
Chicago Public Schools Office of Education to Careers (ETC) prepares students for their lives beyond the classroom by equipping them with the skills and knowledge needed to succeed in postsecondary education, advanced career training or immediate entry into jobs with meaningful career paths. ETC programs combine a rigorous high school academic curriculum with training in career and technical subjects and workplace competencies. ETC impacts over 55,000 students in 73 high schools and 11 career academies throughout the city.

ETC provides training in everything from law and public safety to the building trades, agriculture and horticulture, architecture, radio/TV, automotive and diesel, business and finance, healthcare, culinary, hotel/restaurant management, cosmetology, fashion design, information technology and manufacturing. Students of every ability level benefit, whether they are seeking immediate employment or plan to use the training to pay for postsecondary education.

ETC improves student performance by helping students see the connection between their education and their future. National research shows that students in ETC programs have significantly higher grade point averages, attendance and graduation rates, and standardized test scores than comparable students, and 1/3 lower dropout rates. ETC students earn millions of dollars in scholarships. They also can acquire college credit through articulation agreements and College Excel classes. ETC students can even receive an associate degree along with their high school diploma through an ETC partnership with DeVry University .

CPS ETC ensures that every ETC graduate leaves high school with credentials that employers seek. Professional credentials, such as Licensed Practical Nurse, CNA, EMT, Cisco, ASE (automotive) and NIMS (manufacturing), gained through ETC training give ETC graduates a significant job advantage.

About Chicago Public Schools:
The Chicago Public Schools is the third-largest school system in the U.S. and second-largest employer in Illinois , with 45,000 employees. It has 600 elementary and high schools and more than 434,000 students.