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 $13,000 TO
26
WINNERS IN 15TH ANNUAL WRITING COMPETITION
Greenfield,
CA, June 5, 2003— A
total of twenty-six students from Greenfield and King City High Schools were
prize winners in the 15th annual Scheid Writing Contest in which
$13,000 of scholarship money was awarded.
Mike
Thomsen, CFO of Salinas-based Scheid Vineyards Inc., honored the winners
recently at Scholarship Banquets held at Greenfield High School and the Salinas
Valley Fairgrounds (for King City).
Scheid
Vineyards sponsors and administers the Scheid Writing Contest to challenge area
students to think about a broad range of topics and to encourage students to
pursue higher education. Winners are chosen based on their ability to research
and write an essay on a given topic.
With this year’s awards, Scheid Vineyards will have given $158,000 in
scholarship money.
According
to Heidi M. Scheid, Senior Vice President of Scheid Vineyards, 73 students from
both schools, freshmen through seniors, competed for $13,000 in total
scholarship money. 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.
This
year’s provocative subject was the USA Patriot Act and its affect on an
individual’s right to privacy. Past
topics have included the subject of military tribunals and their use in
terrorist cases,
the
pros and cons of the Electoral College, the arguments for and against cloning,
the reversion of Hong Kong from British to Chinese control in 1997, and the
history of and justifications for the U.S. trade embargo on Cuba.
The
Scheid Writing Contest was conceived by Al Scheid, founder and Chairman of Scheid
Vineyards. “It was my father’s idea to
require students to research and write an essay on a specific topic instead of
the more traditional method of using grade point average and teacher
recommendations. He wanted to motivate
as many students as possible to participate, regardless of their past
record. An essay format allows students
to gain experience in researching a subject, form an opinion based on that
research, and then defend their stance.
Al Scheid has always believed in the power of the written word and that
the key to success is being able to communicate your ideas effectively”, said
Ms. Scheid, who is part of the annual judging team.
Ms.
Scheid said that although the administration of the contest and the judging of
the essays is a time consuming process, “everybody at Scheid Vineyards believes
in this program. It’s a way of showing
the kids in our area that there are people who care about their futures. We believe it is our responsibility as good
corporate citizens to give back to our community. It is why we’ve been holding the contest for 15 years,” concluded
Ms. Scheid.
While
Scheid Vineyards sponsors this annual writing contest in King City and
Greenfield, Al Scheid has personally sponsored a similar contest, as well as a
reading incentive program, in his hometown of Bridgeport, Ohio for the past 18
years.
Scheid
Vineyards Inc. 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 15TH ANNUAL SCHEID
VINEYARDS WRITING CONTEST ARE AS FOLLOWS:
Greenfield High School:
First Place Winner:
Paul Ramos
Second Place Winner:
Alma Zavala
Third Place Winner:
Jessica Brown
Fourth Place Winner:
David Rodriguez
King City High School:
First Place Winner:
John Layous
Second Place Winner:
Breanne Diaz
Third Place Winner:
Derek Olson
Fourth Place Winner:
Clay Tully