The American Library Association and Morningstar Foods Extend Partnership To Encourage Teen Reading Nationwide

DALLAS, June 12 /PRNewswire/ — More than 40 million adults cannot read
well enough to fill out an application, read a food label, or read a story to
a child. They lack the literacy skills needed to find and keep decent jobs,
support their children’s education, and participate actively in civic life
according to the latest National Adult Literacy Survey. In an effort to help
address this issue, Morningstar Foods, distributor and marketer of
HERSHEY(R)’S Milks and MilkShakes, and the American Library Association have
extended a current two-year partnership in an effort to raise awareness of
America’s libraries as critical to student achievement and lifelong learning
and to help America’s teens get excited about reading.

“The teen community is important to Morningstar Foods — HERSHEY’S Milks
and MilkShakes were developed with this community in mind. This is why
Morningstar Foods will continue its commitment to teen reading and the
nation’s libraries for the next few years,” said Toby Purdy, senior vice
president of Morningstar Foods. “We want teens to be excited about reading,
as literacy is critically important to their future success. By partnering
with the ALA and libraries, HERSHEY’S Milks and MilkShakes will help feed the
imagination of teens through reading.”

During the past two years, Morningstar Foods and ALA have recruited more
than 2,100 teens and libraries nationwide to participate in a teen reading
program. The program — Drive to Read @ your library(TM) — gave teens a
chance to discover the value of libraries, to check out and read books and to
discover the world of limitless possibilities available through reading.

This year, the ALA/Morningstar Foods teen reading program challenged teens
to read books, submit creative entries through writing, video or art, work
with local librarians to register and develop entries and sign up for a chance
to win a trip to meet a celebrity figure. For the past two years, winners
have traveled to meet NASCAR driver Ward Burton and enjoy VIP treatment during
a NASCAR race. The winning individual(s) for the 2003-2004 reading program,
will meet skateboard legend Tony Hawk. Interested teens should go to
www.hersheysmilk.com for additional program details.

Drive to Read @ your library has been open to teens aged 12 to 18 years.
A panel of Young Adult Librarians from the Young Adult Library Services
Association, a division of the ALA, has selected the winners.

The 2002 – 2003 winner, fifteen-year-old Marcus Moreno of Pleasant Plains,
Arkansas, won for his essay on the book, “A Matter of Profit” by Hilari Bell.
His selected hero from the book, the “T’Chin Race,” “chooses peace over war.”
In the essay he discusses the definition of “hero” and how, “a person may be
considered a hero by some, but to others he or she may be considered a
villain. A hero is determined by personal opinion.”

Moreno’s was one of many creative entries. One teen submitted a pair of
jeans decorated like the pair in the book, “The Sisterhood of the Traveling
Pants,” by Ann Brashares. A group of teens produced a police report folder
based on a murder in one of the books, complete with mock witness interviews
and crime scene photos. There were also several paintings, collages and poems
and an American flag quilt.

This year, libraries that submitted the most creative local public
relations and outreach efforts also were rewarded with prizes. Libraries were
asked to develop a display and publicity materials, as well as work with local
school and community organizations to promote the program. The first-place
winner was the Harris-Elmore Public Library in Elmore, Ohio.

“At the American Library Association, we understand that a teen who reads
is a teen who succeeds,” says ALA Executive Director Keith Michael Fiels.
“Libraries play an absolutely critical role in teen reading by providing high
interest materials and programs that can catch the interest of even the most
reluctant reader. Through this partnership, we can help libraries reach teens
with a fun reading program that rewards them for using their imagination —
and their local libraries.”

Morningstar Foods Inc.

Morningstar Foods Inc. is a subsidiary of Dean Foods Company (NYSE: DF),
one of the nation’s leading food and beverage companies. Morningstar Foods’
nationally branded products include International Delight(R) coffee creamers,
Marie’s(R) Salad Dressings and dips, Dean Dips, Mocha Mix(R) non-dairy coffee
creamer, Naturally Yours(TM) Sour Cream, Second Nature(R) Eggs and Farm
Rich(R) and Coffee Rich(R) coffee creamers. Products produced under licensed
brands include Folgers(R) Jakada(R) chilled coffee beverage, HERSHEY’S Milks
and MilkShakes and LAND O LAKES Dairy Ease(R) lactose-free milks, Fat-Free
Half-and-Half and Sour Cream. For more information, visit
www.morningstarfoods.com .

American Library Association:

The American Library Association (ALA) is the voice of America’s libraries
and the millions of people who depend on them. Its 64,000 members are
primarily librarians, but also trustees, publishers and others who support the
work of the association. The mission of the American Library Association is
to provide leadership for the development, promotion and improvement of
library and information services and the profession of librarianship in order
to enhance learning and ensure access to information for all.

Contacts: Claire Varrelmann

Weber Shandwick Worldwide

972.830.2896

Megan Humphrey

American Library Association

312.280.4020

SOURCE Dean Foods Company 06/12/2003

CONTACT: Claire Varrelmann of Weber Shandwick Worldwide,
+1-972-830-2896, for Dean Foods Company; or Megan Humphrey of American Library
Association, +1-312-280-4020

Web site: http://www.hersheysmilk.com http://www.morningstarfoods.com http://www.deanfoods.com

(DF)

CO: Dean Foods Company; Morningstar Foods Inc.; American Library Association;
Young Adult Library Services Association; Harris-Elmore Public Library

ST: Texas, Ohio

IN: FOD REA EDU

SU: CHI AWD