VENEZUELAN DRIVER MILKA DUNO TO SPEAK
AT HOTEL PUERTA DEL SOL

The World’s Most Successful Female Race Car Driver Milka Duno
To Make “Milka Way” Visit on Margarita Island

PORLAMAR, Isla de Margarita (November 20, 2012) – Through her very successful and inspiring “Milka Way” educational outreach program, popular Venezuelan race car driver Milka Duno will speak at Hotel Puerta del Sol in Porlamar on Thursday, November 22 at 4:30 p.m. in the hotel’s Salon Maria Guevara. The public is invited and admission is free of charge. Milka will also be available to answer questions, pose for photos and sign autographs.

Through her “Milka Way” program Milka inspires children and students of all ages to “Aim for the Stars” and achieve academic excellence. In her entertaining and informative program Milka inspires and motivates students and helps them to understand the importance and value of education. Milka will express how a strong academic background will benefit them their entire life, in all aspects of their life and in any career they choose.

Milka has taken this message to children, students, parents and teachers at all school levels around the world – including her home country of Venezuela, Malaysia, Canada, Japan, Peru, Colombia, Argentina, Chile, Guatemala, Mexico, Puerto Rico and all across the United States.

In addition to being the world’s most successful female race car driver, Milka is also a qualified Naval Engineer with four master's degrees - in Organizational Development, Naval Architecture, Aquaculture and Maritime Business – earning the last three degrees simultaneously – and therefore is a passionate advocate of the need for and the value of a strong educational background.

“I’m so very excited about this event in my home country of Venezuela and I can’t wait to meet and speak with everyone that attends,” said Milka. “I’m very honored for the opportunity to speak to my fellow Venezuelans and I hope that students of all ages and their families will attend. For this special event the subject of my motivational speech will be ‘COMPETE TO WIN’ and I will also share personal stories and offer examples of how a strong education can enrich lives. I’m very passionate about education and I hope to encourage and motivate the children and students living in Margarita and throughout Venezuela to achieve academic excellence and to pursue their dreams.”

What Leading Educators Have Said About Milka and her “Milka Way” Program:
"We are so grateful that the accomplished and beautiful Milka Duno was at CSU Dominguez to speak to the nearly 50,000 family members who came to the education fair, Es El Momento, on October 22, 2011. Milka’s four master’s degrees are proof of her strong belief that education makes the difference and she is dedicated to bringing that message to Latinos and all communities around the world. She is a wonderful role model and inspires others to reach for more in their own lives through education.” Mildred Garcia, President, California State University, Dominguez Hills, California, USA 

"Milka came into the school, was received like a rock star, and left our students on top of the world. Her energetic personality was contagious and she made every child feel important that day. I was especially impressed with her willingness to stay and speak personally with our middle school Hispanic students. She was simply wonderful." Carey Dahncke, Principal, Christel House Academy, Indianapolis, Indiana USA

“When Ms. Milka Duno visited our children here at St. Alban’s, there were also a number of parents in the audience; she told them ‘the most important thing you can give your children is an education.’ She told them that her parents in Venezuela sometimes worked two and three jobs so she could study. Milka said that ‘because of their concern and sacrifice, she is most grateful to her parents.’ I wanted Milka to impress upon the children the urgency of seizing all educational opportunities that will come their way, and, she did just that – and the children just loved her presentation.” Franklin F. Sands, Ph.D., Executive Director and C.E.O, St Alban’s Child Enrichment Center, Miami, Florida USA

For more information on “Milka Way” please visit http://www.milkaway.com/
The Hotel Puerta del Sol is located at Calle los Pinos entre Av. 4 de Mayo y Av. Romulo Betancourt en la Ciudad de Porlamar, Isla de Margarita.

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About Milka
Milka has eight major race wins in the highest classes (Prototype) in the American Le Mans Series and Rolex Series and the highest finish ever by a female driver (2nd Place) in the Rolex 24 at Daytona in the now 50-year history of the race. Milka is also the first Latin American woman to qualify for and compete in the world famous Indianapolis 500 in its now 101-year history. She is also the first Latin American woman to compete in the IndyCar Series and the first Latin American woman to lead an IndyCar Series race.

Milka currently competes in the USA’s ARCA stock car racing series and is the first Latin American woman to do so in its 60-year history and earlier this year earned the highest finish ever by a Venezuelan driver in this series. Milka’s next challenge is to become the first Latin American women in history to compete in NASCAR – the most popular racing series in the USA.

Milka became the first Venezuelan athlete to be inducted into the Latin American International Sports Hall of Fame at their 35th Anniversary Induction Ceremony in January, 2010.

“Go, Milka, Go!” – Milka’s bilingual children’s book was awarded the Best Young Adult Sports/Recreation Book of 2009 at the 11th Annual International Latino Book Awards. The ceremony, held in New York City on Thursday, May 28, 2009, took place during BookExpo America, the largest publishing event in North America. The prestigious awards honor literary excellence within the Latino community in a variety of categories. More information about the book is available at http://www.milkaway.com/