Red Robin honors Prairie Hill School for kindness

Prairie Hill School in Cary was named by Red Robin Gourmet Burgers Inc. (Red Robin) as a U-ACT(tm) Award of Merit school for the 2007-08 Red Robin U-ACT(tm) Champion Program.

U-ACT, or Unbridled Acts of Kindness, is Red Robin's character building initiative that aims to inspire and energize junior high and middle school students about the value of being kind to others. According to the National Youth Violence Prevention Resource Center, almost 30 percent of U.S. youth are involved in bullying as either a bully, a target of bullying, or both.

The mission of Red Robin's U-ACT(tm) Champion Program is to promote positive behavior by fostering a sense of neighborliness inside and outside of the school setting, and to honor schools that exemplify what it mean to be 'Unbridled.'

As a U-ACT(tm) Award of Merit School, Prairie Hill School will receive a $500 grant and will be invited to attend a special school spirit night at their local Red Robin® restaurant later this month.

Participants in the U-ACT(tm) Champion Program implemented programs inside and outside their schools that demonstrate how they are bringing Red Robin's 'Unbridled' philosophy to life by holding community fundraisers and recognizing the kind acts students do to help each other succeed all year long.

Prairie Hill School surpassed the necessary program criteria and was named one of seven U-ACT(tm) Award of Merit schools.

"The Red Robin U-ACT(tm) Champion Program promotes kindness among students, and it is our intent that this program will help decrease the negative behavior seen in schools," said Eric Houseman, Red Robin president and chief operating officer.

"We are proud of Prairie Hill School for demonstrating their 'Unbridled' spirit within the school and in their community because it matches the same 'Unbridled' values we live by in our restaurants."

"We would like to thank Red Robin for creating a program that has had such a positive impact on our school," said Ann Baker, principal at Prairie Hill School. "Prairie Hill's focus has always been community service with an emphasis on good character, and our participation in this program encouraged us to further these activities. We are thrilled to have our efforts recognized by Red Robin and we plan to use this money to help fund additional service projects."

Red Robin's top award was given to Milford Junior High School in Milford, Ohio, which was named the U-ACT(tm) Champion School. The school will receive a $20,000 grant and a school spirit night at their local Red Robin® restaurant for their efforts to promote kindness.

Red Robin also selected two Award of Excellence schools, Portsmouth Christian School in Portsmouth, Va., and Lugoff Elgin Middle School in Lugoff, S.C., which will each receive a $10,000 grant and a school spirit night at their local Red Robin® restaurant.

In addition to naming Prairie Hill School a U-ACT(tm) Award of Merit School, Red Robin also selected Carter Middle School in Warren, Mich.; University Preparatory Academy in Detroit, Mich.; Charleroi Middle School in Charleroi, Pa.; Lompoc Valley Middle School in Lompoc, Cal.; and Chambersburg Middle School in Chambersburg, Pa. to receive the same award.

Unbridled Acts form a fundamental part of Red Robin's value system. Red Robin recognizes and celebrates team members for kind acts they bestow upon restaurant guests and other team members every day.

Seeing the tremendous impact Unbridled Acts have had on Red Robin's team members and guests, Red Robin wanted to share its 'Unbridled' philosophy with schools and communities throughout the U.S. through the U-ACT(tm) Champion Program.

After seeing the tremendous value the U-ACT(tm) Champion Program had with participating middle and junior high schools this school year, Red Robin is continuing the U-ACT(tm) Champion Program for sixth through eighth grades nationwide for the 2008-09 school year.

For more information, visit www.redrobin.com.