Carl's Jr.(R) Awards $60,000 in 2005 College Scholarships

CARPINTERIA, Calif., May 18 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Carl's Jr., a wholly owned subsidiary of CKE Restaurants, Inc. , is pleased to announce the award recipients of the 2005 La Estrella Latina de Carl's Jr. Scholarship Program. In an effort to award deserving students and support continuing education, the quick-service restaurant chain has awarded $60,000, or 60-$1,000 awards, to college-bound students from California, Arizona, New Mexico, Nevada and Texas.

"Carl's Jr. was founded and continues to operate under the belief that success occurs as the result of hard work, determination and leadership," said Andrew Puzder, president and CEO of CKE Restaurants, Inc. "We are pleased to be able to assist these 60 students who have used those same fundamentals to be successful thus far in their academic careers, and we wish them luck in the next step of their education."

Including the $60,000 in scholarships granted this year, the La Estrella Latina de Carl's Jr. Scholarship Program has granted more than $260,000 in scholarships since the program's inception in 1999. Recipients are selected based on their academic record, school and community leadership and participation, work experience and future goals. Financial need and other family circumstances are also considered. This year, more than 5,000 applications were received over a one-month period from candidates nationwide.

The 2005 La Estrella de Carl's Jr. Scholarship Program award recipients are as follows:

Recipient City, State High School Marilyn Alvarado San Francisco, CA Phillip & Sala Burton High School Phillip Alvarado San Bernardino, CA Arroyo Valley High School Babak Amini Bellflower, CA Bellflower High School Guillermo Arreola La Puente, CA Nogales High School Sean Baek Ridgecrest, CA Sherman E. Burroughs High School Zachary Bainter Hollister, CA San Benito High School Jennie Baltazar Visalia, CA Redwood High School Wendy Bravo Ontario, CA Ontario High School Tyler Britton Firebaugh, CA Firebaugh High School Vanessa Castaneda Oakdale, CA Oakdale High School Ismael Ceballos Yuma, AZ Yuma High School Sarah Clegg El Sobrante, CA De Anza High School Cassandra Collins Vista, CA Rancho Buane Vista High School Deborah Der San Francisco, CA Galileo Academy Elsa Diaz El Paso, TX Socorro High School Clarissa Enriquez El Paso, TX Socorro High School Edith Esparza El Monte, CA Mountain View High School Roseanna Espinoza Porterville, CA Granite Hills High School Erik Flores Lodi, CA Lodi High School Pablo Gonzalez Los Angeles, CA Theodore Roosevelt High School Scott Grady Las Vegas, NV Advanced Technologies Academy Jacqueline Guerrero Forestville, CA El Molina High School Alonzo Guzman El Paso, TX Americas High School Elizabeth Guzman Moreno Valley, CA Moreno Valley High School Nelly Guzman No. Hollywood, CA John H. Francis High School Chelsea Hernandez San Diego, CA Clairemont High School Sierra High Atascadero, CA Atascadero High School Jane Lee La Crescenta, CA Crescenta Valley High School Bernice Leung Clovis, CA Bullard High School Mark Lopez Perris, CA Rancho Verde High School Yesenia Lopez San Fernando, CA Sylmar High School Mario Madrigal Sacramento, CA Christian Brothers High School Jennifer Maestas-Gilman Arroyo Seco, NM Taos High School Judy Mai Orange, CA Orange High School Monique Martinez Visalia, CA Desert High School Jessica Martinez Rosamond, CA Mt Whitney High School Jesse Melgar Riverside, CA John W. North High School Isabel Mireles Lamont, CA Arvin High School Jessica Navarro Chula Vista, CA Chula Vista High School Kristine Nunez Irvine, CA Irvine High School Oluwatobi Ogbechie Van Nuys, CA Reseda High School Aracely Picazo Wilmington, CA Carson High School Vanessa Ramirez La Puente, CA Bell Gardens High School Maria Ramirez Bell Gardens, CA Nogales High School Priscilla Reynoso Nogales, AZ Nogales High School Gabriela Rocha Watsonville, CA Watsonville High School Marisol Rodriguez Long Beach, CA Millikan High School Monica Rodriguez Imperial Beach, CA Mar Vista High School Joanna Sanchez Los Angeles, CA El Camino Real High School Barbara Sandoval Calexico, CA Calexico High School Caleb Shumway Glendale, AZ Westview High School Alison Sparrow Pismo Beach, CA Coastal Christian High School Chau Tran San Diego, CA Scripps Ranch High School Evelyn Tran Marina, CA Monterey High School Melissa Vallejo Bellflower, CA Lakewood High School Moniece Webster La Habra, CA Orange High School Diane Yanez Merced, CA Merced High School Elaine Ying Castro Valley, CA Castro Valley High School Brittani Yriarte Costa Mesa, CA Newport Harbor High School Elizabeth Zaragoza Planada, CA Le Grande High School

The La Estrella Latina de Carl's Jr. Scholarship Program is administered by Scholarship America, a national nonprofit educational support and student aid service organization. Employees, affiliates and franchisees of CKE Restaurants, Inc., Scholarship America, affiliated agencies and their immediate families are not eligible to receive a scholarship pursuant to this program.

Carl's Jr. is a wholly owned subsidiary of CKE Restaurants, Inc. of Carpinteria, Calif. As of the fiscal year ended January 31, 2005, CKE Restaurants, Inc., through its subsidiaries, had a total of 3,166 franchised or company-owned restaurants in 44 states and in 11 countries, including 1,014 Carl's Jr. restaurants, 2,034 Hardee's restaurants and 101 La Salsa Fresh Mexican Grill restaurants. For more information, or to find a Carl's Jr. near you, go to http://www.ckr.com/ or http://www.carlsjr.com/.