- For Immediate Release –
Cupertino, CA - The Silicon Valley Association of REALTORS® (SILVAR) recently honored the winners of the annual HomeWords™ Essay Contest at the Association's District Tour Meetings.
This is the second year SILVAR has sponsored the "What is your American Dream?" HomeWords™ Essay Contest in partnership with the California Association of REALTORS® and the San Jose Mercury News, as part of the 2007 HomeWords™ program. The teachers of prize winners also receive cash awards.
SILVAR selects a total of six winners – three at the high school level and three at the in-termediate (seventh and eighth grade) level. In the high school category, Seva Ivanov, a ninth grader at Fremont High School, received $500 for placing first; his teacher, Alysa Clark, received $150. As the second place winner, Kathy Li received $300; her teacher, Sharon Smith, received $100. Angelica Godinez, a senior at Fremont High School, received $150; her teacher, Sonia Dass, received $100.
In the intermediate category, Emma Marriott and Karen Camacho, both seventh graders at Terman Middle School in Palo Alto, received the first prize and second prize, respectively. Marriott received the cash award of $450 and Camacho received $250. Their teacher, Tracey Berliner, received $250. The third prize of $150 went to Rebecca Moll of Cupertino Middle School; her teacher, Grace Hynes received $100.
Receiving first place in the high school category in his essay entitled "My American Dream," Ivanov relates how his parents came to America and worked hard to save money just to pay rent for an apartment and hoped to eventually buy a home.
He writes, "I never had the latest games or toys, but I understood, because my parents only wanted the best for my family and because I shared my parents' dream – to have a house that I could truly call home. … A home isn't just a place you grow up in or a place you sleep. It is a symbol of hard work and dedication, a sign of achievement. It is a place where children grow up and become adults, taking their hopes, dreams and memories on to live their own lives, and to eventually pass them on to their children. Owning a home is the American Dream."
In her essay entitled "The American Dream," first prize winner in the intermediate category Emma Marriott writes about longing for a home, where she and her family could finally settle down.
"Having moved so many times can be exciting, but every time I leave, I leave a part of myself behind," Marriott writes. She remains optimistic that her dream will come true someday and her family will no longer have to move again. Her dream is to have a "place where memories grow and dreams come true. Where friends and family gather to enjoy themselves. Which stays strong and sturdy and gives us comfort, even when we are disconsolate. …. No matter how many times we fail, we will keep trying and I know that one day, we will succeed."
Recognizing the winners, their teachers and the annual essay contest, SILVAR Interim Executive Officer and Government Affairs Director Paul Cardus said, "SILVAR's HomeWords™ Essay Contest underscores our commitment and support for education, as well as our appreciation for the tremendous work our students and teachers do. As we all know, it's not the bricks and mortars that make the schools; it's the teachers that make it. The contest is just a small part of our commitment and support for education. What makes our districts special is the quality of the schools which people look for when purchasing a home."
"The Silicon Valley Association of REALTORS® has really stepped up to the plate to support our local schools," said Sandy Marine, Mercury News in Education Manager. "What you have done is wonderful and we couldn't have done this without you. Thank you for supporting the endeavor and we hope we can do it again."
HomeWords ™ is a newspaper-based educational program created by the Los Angeles Times and sponsored by the California Association of REALTORS® and Fannie Mae. The Silicon Valley Association of REALTORS® is a HomeWords ™ regional sponsor. This sponsorship provides classroom sets of newspapers once a week for several weeks to par-ticipating teachers and students to use in their lessons.
The Silicon Valley Association of REALTORS® (SILVAR) is a professional trade organization representing over 4,000 REALTORS® and Affiliate members engaged in the real estate business on the Peninsula and in the South Bay. SILVAR promotes the highest ethical standards of real estate practice, serves as an advocate for homeownership and homeowners, and represents the interests of property owners in Silicon Valley.
The term "REALTOR®" is a registered collective membership mark which identifies a real estate professional who is a member of the National Association of REALTORS® and who subscribes to its strict Code of Ethics.
For further information, please email or call the SILVAR office at (408) 200-0100.