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Treasury to Honor Winners of Savings Bond Poster Contest

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

May 24, 2000

Treasurer of the United States Mary Ellen Withrow will present the three national winners in the 9th Annual Savings Bonds Poster Contest with awards during a ceremony at the Capital Children's Museum in Washington, D.C. on May 25, 2000 at 10 a.m. State winners were selected earlier this year. First place entries from each state, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico then were submitted to a panel of judges for selection of the national winners.

The three winning posters are the work of two sixth-graders from Washington and North Carolina, and a fourth-grader from New Hampshire. Their posters, and those of the other 49 first place winners, will be displayed in lighted dioramas in more that 70 airports around the country this fall. Also, the posters will be exhibited in Washington D.C. at the Capital Children's Museum and the Bureau of Engraving and Printing on 14th St, S.W., from July through October.

The first place winner, Johnna Batiste, a sixth-grader at Hunt Middle School, Tacoma, Washington, will receive a $5,000 U.S. Savings Bond and her poster will be used to promote the sale of bonds nationwide in 2001. When asked what she is going to do with her award, Johnna said, “I plan to use the savings bond I won to help pay for college, unless I get a scholarship, then I plan to buy a car.”

The second and third place winners, Bethany Hill, a sixth-grader at Exploris Middle School in Raleigh, North Carolina and Jason Leland, a fourth-grader who attends Bethlehem Elementary School in Bethlehem, New Hampshire will receive $2,000 and $1,000 in savings bonds, respectively.

“The poster contest provides a creative way for children to learn about the value of saving,” said Van Zeck, Commissioner of the Public Debt. “We hope learning about U.S. Savings Bonds will spark younger Americans' interest in the world of saving and investing.”

Lee R. Raymond, Chairman, CEO and President, Exxon Mobil Corporation sponsored this year's contest. Mr. Raymond also chaired the 1999 U.S. Savings Bond Volunteer Committee. The trip to Washington, D.C., for this year's winners is also being made possible by the following sponsors which donated their services: the Renaissance Washington D.C. Hotel, Gray Line Tours of Washington, Planet Hollywood, and the Hard Rock Cafe.

The Bureau of the Public Debt administers the U.S. Savings Bonds program as part of its overall responsibilities for Treasury's debt finance operations.

THE MEDIA ARE INVITED. CAMERAS MUST BE SET UP BY 9:00 A.M., ON THURSDAY, MAY 25, 2000 IN THE AUDITORIUM OF THE CAPITAL CHILDREN'S MUSEUM, 900 THIRD STREET, N.E. WASHINGTON, DC.