Hispanic Heritage Foundation to Celebrate 10th Anniversary and Honor Record Number of Dallas Regional High School Seniors With $48,000 in Educational Grants

  Southwest Airlines Hosts Event to Recognize Hispanic Heritage Youth Award
                                  Recipients

     What:    The Hispanic Heritage Foundation (HHF) will recognize twenty-
              four top high school students for leadership and excellence in:
              academics, business, community service, education, engineering
              and mathematics, healthcare, journalism, and sports. Each Gold,
              Silver, and Bronze Medallion recipient will receive $3,000;
              $2,000 and $1,000 respectively.  The Dallas Event is the kick-
              off for 13 other Hispanic Heritage Youth Award events throughout
              the country and will be hosted by Southwest Airlines.

              The Staples Foundation for Learning also will present the first-
              ever Hispanic Heritage Teacher Award, selected by one of the
              Youth Awardees and recognized for their positive impact.  As
              part of that recognition, the teacher will receive a $500
              Staples Gift Card.

     When:    Monday, April 16, 2007, 6:00 PM, reception; 6:45 ceremony

     Where:   Southwest Airlines Headquarters
              2702 Love Field Drive (Adjacent to Love Field Airport.  Access
              from Denton Drive.)
              Dallas, TX 75235
              5th Floor - The Landing

     Who:     The honorees by category are:
              Academic Excellence (sponsored by Chase and MasterCard
              International): Lyndz Claire Steeves of Weatherford, TX -
              Weatherford High School - Gold Medallion; David Gonzalez of
              Plano, TX - Plano Senior High School - Silver Medallion; Cynthia
              Salas of Fort Worth, TX - North Side High School - Bronze
              Medallion

              Business (sponsored by the National Society of Hispanic MBAs):
              Tony Rivera of Irving, TX - Nimitz High School - Gold Medallion;
              Edith Resendiz of Grand Prairie, TX - Sam Houston High School -
              Silver Medallion; Kiani Laura Estevez of Mansfield, TX -
              Mansfield High School - Bronze Medallion

              Community Service (sponsored by Cadbury Schweppes America's
              Beverages): Jodie Rae Beltran of El Paso, TX - Socorro High
              School - Gold Medallion; Luis Fernando Maldonado of Waco, TX -
              A.J. Moore Academy - Silver Medallion; Baltazar Cordero of Fort
              Worth, TX - North Side High School - Bronze Medallion

              Education (sponsored by Southwest Airlines): LuzCarmen Avenano
              of Dallas, TX - Booker T. Washington High School for Performing
              Arts - Gold Medallion; Victoria Derania Solis of Dallas, TX -
              The School for the Talented and Gifted - Silver
              Medallion; Dyann Lynn Lopez of Red Oak, TX - Red Oak High School
              - Bronze Medallion

              Engineering and Mathematics (sponsored by ExxonMobil): Gabriel
              Joel Mendoza of El Paso, TX - Americas High School for
              Performing Arts - Gold Medallion; Natalie R. Levy of Dallas, TX
              - Science and Engineering Magnet High School - Silver Medallion;
              Jaime Ordonez, Jr. of Fort Worth, TX - Fossil Ridge High School
              - Bronze Medallion

              Healthcare (sponsored by GlaxoSmithKline): Alvaro Navarro of El
              Paso, TX - Socorro High School - Gold Medallion; Audie
              Christopher Espinoza of Dallas, TX - Duncanville High School -
              Silver Medallion; Reynaldo Homero Sanchez of Temple, TX - Temple
              High School - Bronze Medallion

              Journalism (sponsored by NBC Universal and Telemundo):
              Christopher Stephan Oroza of Coppell, TX - Coppell High School -
              Gold Medallion; Jannet Ramos of Dallas, TX - Warren Travis White
              High School - Silver Medallion; Alyssa Nichole Torres of
              Mesquite, TX - Ralph H. Poteet High School - Bronze Medallion

              Sports (sponsored by SUBWAY(R) Restaurants): Julie Marie Little
              of Garland, TX - Garland High School - Gold Medallion;  Jeremy
              R. Moreno of Alvarado, TX - Alvarado High School - Silver
              Medallion; Mayra A. Roman of Austin, TX - William B. Travis High
              School - Bronze Medallion

For more information or to schedule an interview, contact Mauricio Navarro at (469) 733-8137 or Navarro@raizpr.com . For media access to Southwest Airlines headquarters after business hours, contact Edna Ruano, Southwest Airlines Public Relations, 214-792-4309 (work) or 214-679-5685 (cell).

SOURCE Southwest Airlines