FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

 

Contact: Heidi Scheid                                             Nevena Orbach

                Scheid Vineyards Inc.                             The Orbach Company, Inc.

                831-455-9990                              or           818-904-0500

                               

 

SCHEID VINEYARDS AWARDS OVER $12,000 TO

17 WINNERS IN 14TH ANNUAL WRITING COMPETITION

 

 

Greenfield, CA, June 3, 2002— Seventeen deserving students from Greenfield and King City High Schools were awarded over $12,000 in scholarship money after participating in the 14th Annual Scheid Writing Contest. 

 

Scott Scheid, President and CEO of Salinas-based Scheid Vineyards Inc., honored the winners recently at Scholarship Banquets held at Greenfield High School and at the Salinas Valley Fairgrounds (for King City). 

 

According to Heidi M. Scheid, Senior Vice President of Scheid Vineyards, 72 students from both schools, freshmen through seniors, competed for $12,075 in total scholarship money, double the number of students that participated last year.  The first place award at the senior level at each school was $2,500.  Awards of over $300 are paid directly to the institution the student attends after high school.

 

Scheid Vineyards sponsors and administers the contest to challenge area students to think about a broad range of topics and to encourage students to pursue higher education. With this year’s awards, Scheid Vineyards will have given $145,000 in scholarship money.

 

Although the writing competition has been an annual event at King City High School since 1989,  Scheid Vineyards expanded both the competition and scholarship funds last year to include students at the newly-opened Greenfield High School.

 

This year’s winners were chosen based on their ability to research and write an essay on the provocative subject of military tribunals and their use in terrorist cases.  Participants were required to discuss the differences between a military tribunal and civilian court, how military tribunals have been used in the past, the arguments for and against the use of military tribunals, and the student’s personal view on the use of military tribunals.

 

Last year’s topic was on the pros and cons of the Electoral College.  Earlier topics have included the arguments for and against cloning, the reversion of Hong Kong from British to Chinese control in 1997, a discussion of the first amendment and what freedom of the press means in today’s society, and the history of and justifications for the U.S. trade embargo on Cuba.

 

The Scheid Writing Contest was originally conceived by Al Scheid, founder and Chairman of Scheid Vineyards.  “My father has always believed that being able to communicate your ideas effectively is the key to success throughout one’s life”, said Ms. Scheid, who is part of the annual judging team.  “He created this writing contest to give students the opportunity to really delve into a subject, form an opinion, and gain experience in communicating that information in a written essay.  In addition to providing valuable scholarship money for worthy students, we see many students blossom in the process and their enthusiasm shines through in their essays.” 

 

Ms. Scheid said that although the administration of the contest and the judging of the essays is a time consuming process, “it’s a rewarding experience.  If you can reach out to a student and give them the extra support they need to succeed, then it’s all worth it.  Our community has always supported us as a business, and this is our way of giving a little bit back,” concluded Ms. Scheid. 

 

While Scheid Vineyards sponsors this annual writing contest in King City and Greenfield, Al Scheid has personally sponsored a similar contest in his hometown of Bridgeport, Ohio for the past 17 years.

 

Scheid Vineyards Inc. (www.scheidvineyards.com) is a leading independent producer of premium wine grapes and operates approximately 6,000 acres of vineyards, primarily in Monterey County, California.  The Company sells most of its grape production under short and long-term contracts to wineries producing high quality table wines, and the Company also produces a small amount of ultra premium wine under its own labels.

 

LEADING WINNERS OF THE 14TH ANNUAL SCHEID VINEYARDS WRITING CONTEST ARE AS FOLLOWS:

 

Greenfield High School:

First Place Winner: Angelica Ornelas 

Second Place Winner: Teri Beth Moss

Third Place Winner: Anabel Sanchez

King City High School:

First Place Winner: Eric Guzman

Second Place Winner: Stephanie Irwin

Third Place Winner: Jens Olson

Runner-ups - Molly Moncrief, David Pekema