J.F.K. Elementary School Wins Bounty's Make A Clean Difference Contest For A $25,000 Celebrity-Designed Art Classroom

CINCINNATI, Aug. 30 /PRNewswire/ -- Procter & Gamble's [NYSE: PG] Bounty today announced the grand prize winner of its nationwide Make a Clean Difference contest.  John F. Kennedy Elementary School in Wayne, New Jersey was awarded a $25,000 art classroom makeover that will be designed by Cortney and Robert Novogratz of Bravo's "9 By Design."  

Thousands voted for the 11 school finalists in the Make a Clean Difference contest – and some fans even created videos to show their support, but it is the entry for J.F.K. Elementary School that is taking the grand prize this school year.  With limited funding through the school's budget, the art department is often last on the list for any classroom updates other classrooms regularly receive.  In a school of 456 students who participate in the art program, the furniture, storage areas, art equipment and technology in the art room is dated, in need of repair, or lacking all together.

"We are thrilled to be the recipient of the $25,000 grant from Bounty.  Our students are passionate about what they create and truly think of themselves as growing artists. Our art room is in great need of updating," said Mary Beth Kopacz, art teacher at J.F.K. Elementary.  "We still do amazing things with what is currently in our room, but with this makeover, the possibilities are endless to inspire creativity within the kids."

"J.F.K. Elementary could not be more deserving of this transformation, and thanks to Bounty's grant, we are able to clean up and get really creative to make this a one-of-a-kind space," says Bob Novogratz, Bounty contest spokesperson.  "Consulting with our 'experts,' a.k.a. our seven children, we have already begun the process of designing a wonderful and imaginative space where kids can be inspired and really get hands on with their art projects."

Bounty has also awarded each of the 10 finalists with a $5,000 grant to use toward transforming their school's art rooms and a visit from the Bounty Make-A-Messterpiece art bus, an experiential art studio on wheels.  The finalists are:

• Washington Elementary - Moline, IL
• Whitehall Elementary - Bowie, MD
• Quebec Heights Elementary School - Cincinnati, OH
• Washington Middle School - Vista, CA
• J.B. Sutton - Phoenix, AZ
• Imagine Academy of Careers Education - St. Louis, MO
• Central Montcalm Middle School - Stanton, MI
• Our Lady of Calvary - Philadelphia, PA
• Our Lady of Fatima Parish School - Huntington, WV
• Pecatonica Elementary - Pecatonica, IL

"With this contest, Bounty hopes to empower consumers across the U.S. to join in the effort to provide a clean and fun learning environment for their children while helping to promote creativity in the home and at school," says Bounty brand manager, Dave Lee. "We look forward to providing a Bounty clean makeover for J.F.K. Elementary's art classroom and watching the reaction of the children who get to experience the Make-A-Messterpiece bus across the country."

For more information on the school transformation and at-home art projects and simple in-school lessons, go to www.Facebook.com/Bounty and click on the Contest tab.

About Bounty

Bounty has been America's most popular paper towel for more than 30 years.  In the U.S., P&G offers the following premium two-ply paper towel products: Bounty Select-a-Size; Bounty White; Bounty Extra Soft; and Bounty Prints.  Additionally, P&G offers Bounty Basic, a quality one-ply paper towel as well Bounty Quilted Napkins. For more information on Bounty, visit www.facebook.com/bounty.

About Procter & Gamble

Four billion times a day, P&G brands touch the lives of people around the world. The company has one of the strongest portfolios of trusted, quality, leadership brands, including Pampers®, Tide®, Ariel®, Always®, Whisper®, Pantene®, Mach3®, Bounty®, Dawn®, Gain®, Pringles®, Charmin®, Downy®, Lenor®, Iams®, Crest®, Oral-B®, Duracell®, Olay®, Head & Shoulders®, Wella®, Gillette®, Braun® and Fusion®. The P&G community includes approximately 127,000 employees working in about 80 countries worldwide. Please visit http://www.pg.com for the latest news and in-depth information about P&G and its brands.

SOURCE P&G / Bounty