Vans Awards $75,000 to Hixson High School - 2018 Custom Culture Competition Winner

Hixson High School Wins Funds to Support Arts Program - Four Runners Up Receive $10,000

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May 17, 2018, 11:00 ET

COSTA MESA, Calif., May 17, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Vans, the original action sports brand and icon of creative expression, named Hixson High School from Hixson, Tennessee as the grand prize winner of the ninth annual Vans Custom Culture art competition. Vans and its program partners, including Journeys, Yoobi, Laguna College of Art + Design (LCAD) and Americans for the Arts (AFTA), awarded $75,000 towards the school's arts education program. The remaining finalists – Fontainebleau High School, Larned High School, Middle Township High School and Moanalua High School – will each receive $10,000 toward their arts program and a limited-edition Vans gift.

"It's an honor to be in Tennessee to present Hixson High School with $75,000 worth of funding that was earned from the students' creative thinking," said Megan Klempa, Vans Custom Culture Program Manager. "Every year we see art that comes to life from an inspiring group of individuals that work together to bring their local story to life. We're thrilled that these students conceive of and create pieces that are truly 'Off The Wall.'"

With Steve Van Doren, son of the founder and Vans' Ambassador of Fun, as the ringleader, Vans surprised the competition winners at Hixson High School with an award and a $75,000 check to fund the school's future art programs. Vans hosted a school-wide BBQ to celebrate the win and arrived in a RV filled with gifts, music and prizes. The students were also surprised with a special guest performance from singer and actor, Trevor Jackson.

Since its inception, Vans Custom Culture has awarded hundreds of thousands of dollars to support art education in schools across the nation, empowering creativity through art and design. Vans continues to be a proponent and voice to encourage youth to creatively express themselves.

For more information and to stay up-to-date on future art opportunities from Vans, visit customculture.vans.com and www.vans.com.

About Vans Custom Culture
With this year's new competition format of focusing on high schools who've had their arts education funding cut, Vans selected 500 eligible schools out of the 2,000 registered schools to compete. The 500 qualifying schools were asked to design two pairs of blank Vans shoes for the themes of 'Local Flavor' and 'Off The Wall.' The high schools were also assigned to submit an Impact Document describing how their school, class and community would be impacted by the winning prize. Based on the criteria of creativity, relevance and overall execution, the Vans team selected this year's top 50. With the public's help in voting for their favorite design, they have helped select the final five finalists.

About Vans
Vans^®, a VF Corporation (NYSE: VFC) brand, is the original action sports footwear, apparel and accessories brand. Vans authentic collections are sold globally in 84 countries through a network of subsidiaries, distributors and international offices. Vans also owns and operates more than 600 retail locations around the world. The Vans brand promotes the action sports lifestyle, youth culture and creative self-expression through the support of athletes, musicians and artists and through progressive events and platforms such as the Vans Park Series, Vans Triple Crown of Surfing^®, the Vans U.S. Open of Surfing, Vans Pool Party, Vans Custom Culture, Vans Warped Tour^®, and Vans' cultural hub and international music venue, House of Vans.