September 22, 2008 - New York, NY – Cultural icon, talk show host and executive producer Tyra Banks was “in the zone” to celebrate the accomplishments of a special group of teen youth leaders from the Girls in the Game program in Chicago.

Tyra Banks joined one of the TZONE Foundation’s Chicago grantees, Girls in the Game, for a day of “Girl Power” where more than 100 high school girls from Joslin Perspectives Charter School on Chicago’s South Side were led by Girls in the Game teen leaders during team-building activities, capped off by performances and cheers for Tyra, who was their surprise special guest.

In conjunction with Tyra's own TZONE Foundation, the talk show host addressed an audience of teen girls about her experiences growing up as a girl and the importance of participating in team sports and “getting in the game.” The girls, who are gaining a new perspective of the world around them through their participation in Girls in the Game, performed skits and presented banners about leadership, integrity and teamwork to Tyra, who cheered them on and gave lots of hugs and encouragement.

Based and operated out of Chicago, Girls in the Game provides and promotes sports and fitness opportunities, health and nutrition education, as well as leadership and life-skills development to over 2,000 girls citywide. The program features age-specific programming for elementary, middle and high school girls. Incorporating the tenet of teamwork, Girls in the Game celebrates the power and strength of girls and young women.

The Tyra Banks TZONE Foundation is a national public charity dedicated to empowering girls and young women to make positive choices by supporting outstanding community-based organizations that share the same vision that Tyra is passionate about-- encouraging girls to be leaders, not followers; in control, not out of control; powerful, not powerless.   For more information on TZONE, visit www.tzonefoundation.org. For more information on Girls in the Game, visit www.girlsinthegame.org.