"My Home The American Dream" Winners Announced

COLDWELL BANKER^® NAMES GRAND-PRIZE WINNERS OF NATIONAL

“MY HOME: THE AMERICAN DREAM” CONTEST

 

 

PARSIPPANY, N.J., (Mar. 2, 2009) ––Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC, in collaboration  with Scholastic, the global children’s publishing, education and media company, today announced the three grand-prize winners in the fourth consecutive My Home: The American Dream contest. Fausto Rojas, a second-grade student from Downey, Calif., Alyssa Menko, a fourth-grade student from Kulpmont, Pa., and Emily Williams, a seventh-grade student from Vandalia, Ohio, will each be awarded $2,000 for their contest submissions. Also being recognized as the “classroom” winner for their exceptional group effort and receiving a $2,000 prize is Melissa Lanin’s first grade class from Lafayette Regional School in Franconia, N.H.; and additionally, the teachers of the three grand prize-winning students and the winning class will each receive a new digital video camera for their classrooms valued at approximately $600.

 

The Coldwell Banker^® organization, together with Scholastic, invited students in kindergarten through eighth grade to share their personal stories– through images and words – about what makes their house a home.  Over 2,000 submissions were judged on excellence in creativity, originality and overall quality. A grand prize winner was selected from each of the three grade categories (grades K-2, 3-5 and 6-8) and seven runners-up were selected from the overall participant pool.  This year’s runners-up, consisting of six individual students and one classroom, will each receive a $500 prize. 

 

“We are moved by the creativity and thoughtfulness of the students who entered this year’s My Home: The American Dream contest,” said Jim Gillespie, president and chief executive officer of Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC. “I congratulate each of our winners and runners-up and thank them for providing inspiration for all of us at Coldwell Banker as we continue to help families achieve the ‘American Dream’ of home ownership.”

 

"Scholastic was delighted to work with Coldwell Banker for the fourth year of this successful contest," says Jennifer Prescott, editorial director of custom media. "The quality and variety of entries impressed our team of judges, and participating students built valuable communication skills, both visual and verbal."

 

 

Kindergarten to Grade Two

Fausto Rojas, Second Grade, Downey, Calif.

 

Fausto Rojas, a 7-year-old second grader from Rio Hondo School, won for his creative drawing of his family and house accompanied by an original poem comparing a “house” to a “home.”

 

 

 

 

Grades Three to Five

Alyssa Menko, Fourth Grade, Kulpmont, Pa.

 

Alyssa Menko, a 9-year-old fourth grader from Mt. Carmel School, won for her personalized scrapbook submission titled, “A Celebration of Home.” The album was an impressive compilation of photos and accessories brought to life by incorporating poems and words such as “family,” “love” and “memories.”

 

 

Grades Six to Eight

Emily Williams, Seventh Grade, Vandalia, Ohio

 

Emily Williams, a 12-year-old seventh grader from St. Christopher School, won for her “What H.O.M.E Really Is” album collage. The collage describes how “a home is nothing tangible” by giving personal meaning to each of the letters in the word home. 

 

 

Classroom

Melissa Lanin, First Grade, Franconia, N.H.

 

Melissa Lanin’s first grade class from Lafayette Regional School won in the “Classroom” category for its original DVD submissions. Each student wrote about what makes their house a home and provided illustrations. The essays and drawings were then brought to life in individual videos narrated by each of the children. 

 

 

For more information on this year’s contest visit www.coldwellbanker.com/AmericanDream.  Video of the winning entries can be viewed on the Coldwell Banker YouTube channel, http://www.youtube.com/user/cbankervideo.

 

Runners-Up

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

About Scholastic

 

Scholastic Corporation (NASDAQ: SCHL) is the world’s largest publisher and distributor of children’s books and a leader in educational technology and children’s media. 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 and school-based book fairs, retail stores, schools, libraries, 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.