My Home, American Dream Contest Winners

COLDWELL BANKER REAL ESTATE CORPORATION NAMES GRAND-PRIZE WINNERS OF THE SECOND ANNUAL

Winning Entries Include an Illustrated Book and Two DVDs: Submissions More Than Doubled Over First Year of Contest

PARSIPPANY, N.J., (Feb. 7, 2007) – Without family, acceptance, support and encouragement, a house is just a structure in which to live — not a home — according to the three grand-prize winners of the second annual Coldwell Banker® "My Home: The American Dream" contest. Samantha Tennant, a 7-year-old first grade student from Chicago; Alex Furrh, a 10-year-old fifth grade student from Wheaton, Ill.; and, Raven Asay, a 12-year-old seventh grade student from Las Vegas, each have won $2,000 for their contest submissions. Their teachers each will receive a new digital camera for their classrooms valued at approximately $700. Winners were chosen from three age categories: kindergarten to grade 2; grades 3-5 and grades 6-8. The winning entries can be viewed at the "Side Door" on the Video Library at www.coldwellbanker.com.

The nationwide competition, executed in conjunction with Scholastic Professional Magazines' Custom Media Group, asked students to explain through images or words how they make their house, apartment, condominium, or other living quarters, a home. The contest yielded nearly 2,200 submissions, more than double the number of entries received last year. The projects were judged on creativity, originality, overall quality and effort. In addition to the three grand-prize winners, 50 finalists each were awarded $100 dollars.

"We were absolutely thrilled with the turnout for the second year of our contest," said Charlie Young, senior vice president, marketing, Coldwell Banker Real Estate Corporation. "We are very encouraged that teachers are interested in having their students sit down and really think through what is special about a house.

"In their entries, Samantha, Alex and Raven really focused on the family support and encouragement that goes on inside the home," Young continued. "Whether through the memories created together as siblings mature, the daily participation of an extended clan, or the security offered by an adopted family, each child made it abundantly clear that it is their families that truly make their houses into homes."

Winner, Kindergarten through 2nd Grade

Samantha Tennant, Walt Disney Magnet School, Chicago, Illinois

A 7-year-old first-grade student in Ms. Maria Schnaufer's class at Walt Disney Magnet School in Chicago, Samantha won for her DVD entitled, "The House of Love." In her film, she goes through each room of the house and explains the various things that make a house a home. Samantha's ideas about what makes a house a home include: "helping Mommy cook; jumping on my bed; dressing up for the holidays; knowing your neighbors; Mommy love; Daddy love; the park next to my home; my pets." In addition she interviewed a variety of adults to get their perspectives on what makes a house a home. Some responses included: books and art, a beautiful kitchen, and friends and family.

"What we really loved about Samantha's submission is that she not only hit on the key points of family and security, but, in her own endearing way, she described how the home is a key part of the community," Young continued. "Her home's proximity to the park and her family's friendly relationship with their neighbors both contribute to a level of community stability that is necessary for families to thrive."

Winner, Grades 3 through 5

Alex Furrh, Washington School, Wheaton, Illinois

A 10-year-old fifth grader in Kenneth Strayve's class, Alex won for his DVD entitled, "My House. My Home. My Memories." In Alex's mind, memories are what make a house a home. He used his family's old home movies as the foundation for his film and replicated the family activities that had been captured on video years earlier. A scene showing Alex as a baby running and jumping onto a couch in the family room fades to Alex as he is now, running and jumping onto the couch. His sister is shown as a small child hugging the family cat on the back porch, a scene which melts into her hugging the cat as a young adult on the back porch. Another sibling is shown as a baby making his way up the staircase; that brother is later seen sprawled out on the stairs making his way to the top.

"Alex's vision was to show that the memories made over the course of the family's life in their house are at the heart of what make it the Furrh home," noted Young. "While the babies have matured into young adults, the home remains the centerpiece for the growth and togetherness that make the family thrive."

Winner, Grades 6 through 8

Raven Asay, Leavitt Middle School, Las Vegas, Nevada

A 12-year-old seventh grader from Erica Heishman's class at the Leavitt Middle School, Raven submitted a booklet cut out in the shape of a house complete with a chimney entitled, "Finding My Way Home." In her book she described her life as a foster child having lived in more than 15 houses, none of which, she says, was her home. Each page of the book shows a picture of her in a different room in her home, with the next page describing how she ultimately got to where she is today.

Young commented, "Raven poignantly captured the essence of what makes a house a home when she wrote:

‘The dictionary defines a house as a building or structure where people live, but a home is so much more. A home is the place that you want to go to after a long day at school or work. It's a place where you feel comfortable sitting on the couch or in your favorite comfy chair. It's the place where you feel safe and loved. Where you are surrounded by people who truly care and accept you for who you are. Who help you do your best. Who support your goals and help you achieve them.'

"For Raven, knowing that she will always find safety, security and acceptance within those four walls are what makes her house a home," Young added.

"Once again, the entries we received showed that children understand, on a fundamental level, the concept of house and home," said Michele Robinson, group publisher, Scholastic Professional Magazines, a division of Scholastic, the global children's publishing, education and media company.

"From entries that portrayed the home as a place that offers the freedom to imagine, to films that explored the relationship between family members, to a representation of a dining room table where families enjoy pizza night, the common message was clear: at the core, a family is what makes a house a home," added Robinson. "Congratulations to our grand prize winners and all of the students who opened their doors to us through their projects."

The 50 Finalists

Child	Grade	School	City / State
Roma Amernath	4	E.R. Hughes Elementary	New Hartford, N.Y.
Alexander Ashear-Freed	1	Frenchtown Elementary	Trumbull, Conn.
Victoria Atilano	K	St. Catherine of Alexandria	Riverside, Calif.
Erin Barron	K	St. Catherine of Alexandria	Riverside, Calif.
Nicholas Belka	4	Park Avenue Elementary	Freehold, N.J.
Annika Bergstrom	3	Castaic Elementary	Castaic, Calif.
Andrea Beshara	6	Cathedral Consolidated School	Harrisburg, Pa.
Laura Blumensaadt	1	Walt Disney Magnet	Chicago, Ill.
Taylor Carney	2	James A. Dever School	Valley Stream, N.Y.
Ally Carr	8	Verrado Middle School	Buckeye, Ariz.
Greta Chiocchetti	5	J. Marlan Walker International School	Henderson, Nev.
Ian Connor	3	Marvin B. Smith Elementary School	Burlington, N.C.
William Culbreth	5	Home schooled	Henderson, Nev.
Austin Dyno	7	Southampton Intermediate	Southampton, N.Y.
Kesleigh Eysie	7	Phillip O. Coakley Middle School	Norwood, Mass.
Noah Fenz	2	Orting Primary School	Orting, Wash.
Brandon Gardner	2	Walkersville Elementary	Walkersville, Md.
Audrey Gutierrez	8	St. Thomas Aquinas	RioRancho, N.M.
Hanna Hernandez	4	Bright Futures	North Palm Beach, Fla.
Philip Kraus	1	Urbain H. Plavan Elementary	Fountain Valley, Calif.
Aaron Bryce Lee	3	Castaic Elementary	Castaic, Calif.
Viridiana Lopez	5	Lindbergh Elementary	Mesa, Ariz.
Zachary Holden-Martin	K	Pointer Ridge Elementary	Bowie, Md.
Tara Martorano	2	Saint Catherine of Siena	Cedar Grove, N.J.
Gabrielle McAllister	7	Boyet Junior High	Slidell, La.
Colleen McCollum	7	Timberview Middle School	Colorado Springs, Colo.
Parthiv Mohan	7	Redwood Middle School	Saratoga, Calif.
Lauryn Miramontes	K	St. Catherine of Alexandria	Riverside, Calif.
Lillian Gayle Mueller	1	Wolfsville Elementary	Myersville, Md.
Ashlei Nadler	7	El Paso Jewish Academy	El Paso, Texas
Brandon Nelson	5	Northview Middle School	Kodak, Tenn.
Cailey Newton	4	Mosier Elementary School	South Hadley, Mass.
Gavin Petitti	1	Frenchtown Elementary	Trumbull, Conn.
Margaret Pritchard	6	Mountain Brook Elementary	Mountain Brook, Ala.
Angelina Rivera	2	Bruce Guadalupe Community School	Milwaukee, Wis.
Stephen Sandoval	8	St. Thomas Aquinas	RioRancho, NM
Yalismar Santiago	6	Cathedral Consolidated School	Harrisburg, Pa.
Monica Serna	8	St. Thomas Aquinas	RioRancho, N.M.
Patience Smith	6	Lincoln Middle School	Lincoln, Ark.
Kennady Sowell	2	James A. Dever Elementary School	Valley Stream, N.Y.
Nicholas St. Julian	3	St. Mary's Catholic School	Houston, Texas
LoganStinson	4	Grandview Elementary	Lake Arrowhead, Calif.
Hannah Stroth	5	Sebastian Elementary School	Sebastian, Fla.
Abi Thomas	7	Timberview Middle School	Colorado Springs, Colo.
Eliana Toren	7	El Paso Jewish Academy	El Paso, Texas
Joshua Waghorn	K	St. Catherine of Alexandria	Riverside, Calif.
Entire "Multi-Age" Class	K,1,2	Santa Monica Boulevard Charter School	Santa Monica, Calif.
Entire Class	3	Thomas Elementary School	Carbondale, Ill.
Entire Class (2)	2	St. Charles Elementary	Bloomington, Ind.

About Scholastic

Scholastic (NASDAQ: SCHL) is the world's largest publisher and distributor of children's books. Scholastic creates quality educational and entertaining materials and products for use in school and at home, including children's books, magazines, technology-based products, teacher materials, television programming, film, videos and toys. The Company distributes its products and services through a variety of channels, including proprietary school-based book clubs, school-based book fairs, and school-based and direct-to-home continuity programs; retail stores, schools, libraries, and television networks; and the Company's Internet Site, www.scholastic.com.

About Coldwell Banker®
Since 1906, the Coldwell Banker® organization has been a premier full-service real estate provider. In 2008, Franchise Times magazine's prestigious Top 200 issue ranked the Coldwell Banker system No. 1 in real estate for the ninth straight year and 12th among franchisors in all industries. The Coldwell Banker System has approximately 3,500 residential real estate offices and approximately 100,000 sales associates in 47 countries and territories. The Coldwell Banker System is a leader in the industry in residential and commercial real estate, and in niche markets such as resort, new home and luxury property through its Coldwell Banker Previews International® division. It is a pioneer in consumer services with its Coldwell Banker Concierge ® Service Program and award-winning Web site, www.coldwellbanker.com. Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC is a subsidiary of Realogy Corporation, a global provider of real estate and relocation services. Coldwell Banker® is a registered trademark licensed to Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC. Each office is independently owned and operated.