Madison Pettis ("The Game Plan")with actress Jordan Bobbitt ("The Hangover") at a recent Disney Family Fun Night

Madison Pettis ("The Game Plan") with actress Jordan Bobbitt ("The Hangover") at a recent Disney Family Fun Night in Los Angeles, CA

Aloha from Hollywood! Disney Star Madison Pettis, 10, is heading to the Hawaiian Islands to participate in her first USO education tour, April 22 through 24, 2009.  As part of Madison’s  USO adventure, she’ll  visit several elementary schools in Hawaii and connect with children of military service members, take part in school activities and sign autographs.

Best known for her co-starring role on the Disney Channel series “Cory in the House,” and starring opposite Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson in the hit Disney film “The Game Plan,” Pettis is the youngest entertainer to ever take part in a USO tour.  The tween actress also has a personal interest in serving those who keep us safe; her older brother, PFC Anthony Pettis, 20, is a soldier in the U.S. Army and has been serving in Iraq since November 2008.

“This is a great opportunity for me to do something special for all of the kids whose parents are serving in the military,” said Pettis. “And I want to thank the USO for making this happen.”

Born in Arlington, Texas, and nominated for the 2008 Young Artist Award, Pettis has been entertaining audiences since the age of five. Her career began as a model, when her mom entered her in a photo contest for a local parenting magazine. In addition to her many Disney collaborations, Pettis recently made an appearance in the big screen hit “Seven Pounds” starring Will Smith. Most recently the star participated in L.A.’s Reading Relay in celebration of National Reading Month.

Volunteers are the heart of the USO. Their commitment and support of our men and women in uniform allows the USO to carry out its mission 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Celebrity entertainers serve as the USO’s most visible volunteers. They lend their time and talents to enhance the quality of life of service members and boost troop morale. Entertainers who recently participated on USO tours include Jack Ingram, Danny Clark, Jared Allen, Will Witherspoon and Bucky Covington.

For a list of USO tours, visit www.uso.org/whatwedo/entertainment. To learn more about the USO or to find out how to support the troops, visit www.uso.org.