NEW YORK (February 1, 2011) – Looking and feeling your best can inspire confidence and empower you to achieve your goals. That’s the message that Julianne Hough is spreading to teen girls across America. The actress, dancer and singer has partnered with the National Milk Mustache “got milk?”® Campaign and Seventeen magazine to launch “The Power of 9” .

“The Power of 9” is a new program that celebrates the power of milk’s nine essential nutrients and shows teens that making good food choices and drinking lowfat or fat free milk can help them look lean and strong on the outside and feel confident and strong on the inside.

As part of the new program, Julianne is helping search for The 9 – an elite group of teen girls who will become the next Milk Mustache stars, serve as milk ambassadors and have a chance to make a positive impact on their peers across the country throughout 2011.

As the latest celebrity to star in the famous Milk Mustache campaign, Julianne knows that being active, eating right and drinking lowfat milk help her look great and feel confident. Whether it’s in a glass, cereal bowl, smoothie or in a latte, milk’s an easy way to get nine essential nutrients that support healthy bones, teeth, skin and help build lean muscle.

“I would never have accomplished my dreams if I didn’t have confidence in myself – and a big part of feeling confident comes down to looking and feeling my best,” said Julianne. “Through my new Milk Mustache ad and the Power of 9 program, I want to inspire girls to make good choices regularly to help them be their best and reach their own goals – so they can serve as role models for other teens.”

Reach for the Stars – YOU Could Be One of The Next Milk Mustache Celebs!

Julianne has teamed up with “got milk?” and Seventeen to search for The 9 – a group of nine teen girls who are not afraid to speak up; who are confident; respected, quirky and smart; and know that lowfat milk is an important ingredient for a well-balanced life. The 9 will become the next Milk Mustache celebrities and have a chance to empower other teen girls to make the right choices.

Entering is easy! Teens are invited to log on to www.myyearbook.com/powerof9 and submit a short video that shows who they are, what inspires them, and why milk is an important ingredient in their lives. The web site includes Julianne’s tips for making a winning entry plus other sample submissions from teens.

Once Julianne and a panel of other judges have selected the top entries, teens across the country will have the opportunity to have their say and make Milk Mustache campaign history by casting their votes to help us choose The 9.

The 9 winning girls will get to experience what it’s really like to be a Milk Mustache celebrity – just like Julianne. They’ll be flown to Los Angeles where they’ll meet their fellow winners before posing together for a Milk Mustache ad, to be featured as a special two-page spread in the pages of Seventeen magazine this fall. Then this elite group of nine girls will have the chance to continue to make a positive impact on other teen girls throughout the year via their own Power of 9 blog on seventeen.com plus milk “insider” opportunities such as interviewing upcoming Milk Mustache celebrities and attending other “VIP” milk events.

Benefits From Head to Toe

Julianne isn’t the only one who counts on milk to look and feel her best. Registered dietitian and author of “The Beauty Diet,” Lisa Drayer, M.A., R.D. wants teens to know that making the right choices, such as eating nutrient-rich foods and drinking lowfat or fat free milk, can help give teens the confidence to accomplish their dreams.

“It’s amazing how looking good and feeling good can make you feel empowered. And a big part of that comes from making smart food and lifestyle choices,” said Drayer. “Milk’s such an easy way to get nine essential nutrients that can provide so many benefits, inside and out – like protein and vitamin A for healthy skin and calcium and vitamin D for strong bones and healthy teeth. And along with exercise, the protein in milk can help build lean muscle to help you stay toned and fit.”

In addition, research suggests that teens who drink milk instead of sugary beverages tend to be leaner than those who drink little or no milk.1-2

# # #

About the National Milk Mustache “got milk?”® Campaign

The Milk Processor Education Program (MilkPEP), Washington, D.C., is funded by the nation’s milk processors, who are committed to increasing fluid milk consumption. The National Fluid Milk Processor Promotion Board, through MilkPEP, runs the National Milk Mustache “got milk?®” Campaign, a multi-faceted campaign designed to educate consumers about the health benefits of milk. For more information, go to www.whymilk.com. Deutsch, A Lowe and Partners Company, is the creative agency for the National Milk Mustache “got milk?®” Campaign.