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    Pasta Tales

    Now through Sunday, Feb. 5, Olive Garden is asking writers in first through 12th-grade in the U.S. and Canada to submit an essay of 50 to 250 words answering the question:

    “If you were given $5,000 to support education in your local community, how would you use it and why?”

    The grand prize winner of Olive Garden’s 16th-Annual Pasta Tales essay writing contest will receive a three-day trip to New York City that includes dinner at the Olive Garden in Times Square and a $2,500 savings bond. In addition, Olive Garden will provide a $5,000 grant to support education in the winner’s local community, which will bring his/her essay to life. The winners in each grade category will be awarded a $500 savings bond and a family dinner at their local Olive Garden restaurant.

    All entries must include the writer’s first and last name, complete address, phone number with area code, grade, date of birth including year and a statement that the work is his or her own. Entries must be submitted either online or postmarked by February 5, 2012 and sent to Pasta Tales, PMB 2000, 6278 N. Federal Highway, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33308-1916.

    Submissions will be judged based on creativity, adherence to theme, organization, grammar, punctuation and spelling by the Quill and Scroll Society of the College of Journalism and Communications at the University of Iowa, with winners selected by Olive Garden.

    For more information about Olive Garden’s Pasta Tales, contact Lauren Simo or Catie Jackson at (954) 776-1999 between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. EST, or Heidi Schauer at (407) 245-5642.

    Click here for a printer friendly mail-in entry form, and more details including official contest rules.
    No purchase necessary.

    * Fields are required.

    Title of Essay:

    Full Name: *

    Address: *

    City: * State/Province: *

    Zip: * Telephone: *

    Age: * Grade: *

    Date of Birth: * Example: 01-01-1990



    Address the following topic in 50 to 250 words: *

    "If you were given $5,000 to support education in your local community, how would you use it and why?"



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