St. Louis Civic Pride Foundation Announces Local “Ultimate” Contest Winner

Ballwin resident Ava Niedbalski is one of  five cash prize winners ($500) of the first Ultimate St. Louis Tourist Contest http://Explorestlouis.com/ultimatetourist, a competition sponsored by the St. Louis Civic Pride Foundation that invited local contestants to write about their ultimate area tourism experiences.

“We want to congratulate her and thank everyone who participated in our Ultimate contest,” said Kim Tucci, Chairman of the St. Louis Civic Pride Foundation. “Participants in this fun and engaging competition represented many different geographical areas but the common denominator was their love of St. Louis.”

For their efforts, the five winners in each category won $500. In addition, the winners will have their entries featured in the 2014 St. Louis CVC’s Official Visitors Guide and posted on explorestlouis.com for a full year.

For a chance to win a cash prize, contestants had to visit at least three St. Louis area attractions then write about their journeys in 500 words or less. Participants were also invited to share their St. Louis experiences through photos and videos.

The contest, which started in May and ended in early September, was created to instill and foster pride in St. Louis at an early age.

The five categories were: Grades three and four; grades five and six; grades seven and eight; grades nine and 10; and grades 11 and 12.

Entries were judged on its merits with the winners chosen by a selection committee comprised of St. Louis Civic Pride Foundation members, St. Louis Convention & Visitors Commission commissioners, other local community leaders, and celebrities.

About the Winner

Age 9, Grade 4, Barretts Elementary {Ballwin, Missouri}

Attractions visited: Turtle Park, St. Louis Science Center, Muny

“It was a great contest and really showcased the creative talents of so many young people,” Tucci said. “Their collective St. Louis civic pride was evident throughout and we are grateful to have so many youthful, positive ambassadors representing our city.”

About the St. Louis Civic Pride Foundation

The St. Louis Civic Pride Foundation focuses on unleashing St. Louis civic pride to create a culture of confidence among St. Louis area residents. A non-profit organization, the foundation also provides frontline hospitality and service employees with more training and teaching to enable them to become better ambassadors to the St. Louis region.  For more information or to get involved, check out our facebook page at facebook.com/StLouisCivicPride or follow us on twitter at twitter.com/stlouiscivicpride.