When Getting the Kids Ready for School This Fall, Make It Easier for Them to Stay in Touch

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NEW YORK, Aug. 21, 1997 -- This fall, 66.5 million elementary, high school and college students nationwide are preparing for back-to-school.* Parents can make sure phone calls from their favorite student do not become extinct ... or as rare as the blue moon, thanks to American Express and the U.S. Postal Service's FirstClass PhoneCard™ Dinosaur and Space Fantasy series.

"We think the FirstClass PhoneCard is perfect for elementary and secondary school students who may not have a quarter to call for a ride home, as well as for high school and college students, who seem to find other uses for their not-so-spare change," said Anne Hopkins, president of American Express Telecom, Inc. "And because the phone card is backed by American Express and delivered by the United States Postal Service, it is a product every parent can trust."

"Ideal for students, FirstClass PhoneCards are convenient and easy to use. Placing a call is simple and hassle free; no coins or operator assistance is needed. And FirstClass PhoneCards allow you to program frequently dialed numbers for convenience and security," said Jane Langdon, Manager of New Businesses for the Postal Service. "By giving a child a FirstClass PhoneCard, parents can control their budget and still have the peace of mind that a call home can bring."

Featuring a variety of designs, the FirstClass PhoneCard Dinosaur and Space Fantasy series are truly out of this world. The Space Fantasy series includes two 21st century designs of rockets blazing through the universe, while the Dinosaur cards feature the Tyrannosaurus, Pteranodon and Brontosaurus in prehistoric landscapes. For those who will miss the family pet, a phone card depicting a kitten and puppy is also available.

Sold in denominations of $10, $20, and $50, the FirstClass PhoneCard is useable from any touch-tone telephone in the United States -- no quarters, no hassles. After dialing an 800 number, FirstClass PhoneCard users hear an automated system telling them how much time is left on the card before the call is put through. And the card is backed by American Express' customer service, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Less expensive than a collect call and more economical than many calling cards, the FirstClass PhoneCard helps students keep in touch with parents without interfering with their budgets. In addition, unlike many other pre-paid calling cards, the FirstClass PhoneCard is both rechargeable and replaceable if lost or stolen, making it handy enough to use throughout the year when children are at school, camp, or just calling from the mall to be picked up.

FirstClass PhoneCards are available at post offices throughout the United States or by dialing 800-297-POST (7678).

American Express Company is a diversified worldwide travel, financial services and network services provider founded in 1850. It is a leader in charge and credit cards, stored-value products, travel, financial planning, investment products, insurance and international banking.

The United States Postal Service runs independent of taxpayer support and is solely supported by ratepayer revenue, including the sale of stamps and other postal products.

Ways to Stay in Touch During the School Year

When a child goes away to school, parents always worry and wonder what their favorite scholar is up to. Do they have enough money? Are they eating right? How are their grades? However, getting a busy student to check in from time to time can be a challenge. American Express and the U.S. Postal Service offer the following creative approaches to help keep the family connected:

• Subscriptions. Keep your student up-to-date on the latest news from their alma mater, box scores of their favorite team, and local gossip by getting them a subscription to their hometown newspaper or magazine. It's fodder for phone conversations and makes a nice surprise.

• Letters. Make it easy for your back-to-schooler to send that special letter to keep the family close across the miles. Pack self-addressed stamped envelopes for convenience. And, if the student at your house isn't a letter writer, create and copy a letter with places for multiple choice answers like: Dear Mom, I am (circle one) good, bad, homesick and I need clothes, money, my teddy bear.

• Care Package. Ship your favorite student a big box of goodies to make them feel connected to home a new warm sweater, a batch of brownies, last week's refrigerator notes.

• Phone Card. Less expensive than a collect call, pre-paid phone cards are a great way to make sure your student phones home. Look for a card that is both rechargeable and replaceable if lost or stolen, such as the FirstClass PhoneCard(TM) from the U.S. Postal Service and American Express. Available at over 11,000 post offices or by dialing 1-800-297-POST, the FirstClass PhoneCard, which can be purchased in a variety of images and denominations, is a stylish and economical way to keep parents and students connected.

• Postcards. Sometimes the best letters are the shortest. A postcard from home can be a nice surprise. Find one with a funny saying, a scene from downtown, or better yet, have the local photo shop turn your favorite pictures into postcards.

• Superhighway. Take advantage of today's technology to get in touch with your back-to-schooler. Send them electronic mail, or fax a funny cartoon.

*Source: U.S. Department of Education National Center for Education Statistics.

CONTACT: Rosalie Huerta of M. Silver Associates, 212-754-6500; or Victoria Handwerk of American Express, 212-640-4747; or Ray Jacobs of the U.S. Postal Service, 614-653-9069