FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

SugArt 2005: Bay Area Students, Schools Take Top Prizes in C&H Sugar Competition

Concord, San Francisco Students Create Art from Sugar Cubes

Crockett, Calif. (June 7, 2005) – Three Bay Area students and their schools celebrate sweet victory today as winners of the 4th Annual C&H Sugar SugArt Competition. The winning students used C&H pure cane sugar cubes to craft creative replicas of San Francisco, a stagecoach and California’s Mission San Jose.

Sponsored by C&H Sugar, the SugArt Competition challenges students to create art from sugar for a chance to win a $1,000 U.S. savings bond for themselves and up to $500 for the arts programs of their schools.

“ The SugArt Competition aims to inspire creativity and imagination,” says judge and C&H spokesperson Vivienne Drimmer. “We were delighted to see so many unique sculptures. Every year we are pleasantly surprised by how inventive the children are. We are already looking forward to SugArt 2006.”

A record number of nearly 150 entries from Bay Area students grades K-6th were evaluated for originality, visual appeal and quality of craftsmanship, as appropriate to age. Judges announced three big winners:

• Grand Prize Winner Best Overall Entry: Keenan Mahler,
  10, El Monte Elementary, Concord, "San Francisco"
  
• Grand Prize Winner Most Original Entry: Marie Weverka,
  9, Sherman Elementary, San Francisco, “The Stagecoach”
  
• Second Prize Winner Best Overall Entry: Joshua Montenegro,
  10, St. Patrick School, San Jose, “Mission San Jose”
  

Grand Prize Winner Keenan Mahler’s impressively-scaled replica of San Francisco measured four-feet long by two feet wide and included an 18-inch tall Transamerica pyramid. It was the runaway favorite with the judges.

“ I created San Francisco because I wanted to build something challenging,” said Keenan. His sweet cityscape included famous landmarks such as the Ferry Building, Giants’ PacBell Park and the famed Victorian homes known as the “painted ladies,” as well as urban staples such as streetcars, billboards and traffic signs.

Grand Prize Winner in the Most Original Entry category, Marie Weverka, was inspired to build her colorful “Stagecoach” during a California Gold Rush classroom lesson and drew visual clues from a life-sized stagecoach during a field trip to San Francisco’s Wells Fargo Museum. She painted her stagecoach in oranges, reds and purples and used Mexican wedding cookies to create wheels, rice cracker bits for roadside rocks and ribbon for horse bridles.

“ The C&H SugArt competition was really fun because you get to make something and you use sugar!” Marie said.

Second Prize Winner Joshua Montenegro chose to build his favorite California mission, Mission San Jose, and visited the historical site to accurately create his award-winning work. Joshua said he wanted to win the contest for his Mom. “When my principal announced I was a winner, I was really excited!”

About the C&H Sugar SugArt Competition
The annual SugArt competition is one of several activities C&H Sugar Company offers to promote children’s learning and discovery. C&H Sugar has spearheaded the growth of the SugArt competition from a grass-roots contest held at the California State Fair to a regional competition offering children and schools the opportunity to raise funds for their school arts programs. Open to children grades K-6th, next year’s contest begins fall 2005. For details on how to enter, visit www.chsugar.com

About C&H Sugar Company
Founded in 1906, Crockett, Calif.-based C&H Sugar Company, Inc. (www.chsugar.com) is the leading refiner of pure cane sugars. C&H processes more than 700 tons of cane sugar per year, from which more than 70 types of products are produced. In 2006, C&H Sugar will celebrate its 100th Anniversary.

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For more information and photos of winning entries contact:
Alicia Balkrishna, Torme Lauricella Public Relations (415) 956-1791, alicia@torme.com