Santander and Massachusetts School Building Authority Recognize Winners of 8th Annual "My Ideal School" Contest

BOSTON, June 5, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- The eight regional winners of the Massachusetts School Building Authority's My Ideal School contest sponsored by Santander Bank, N.A. gathered for an awards ceremony at the Massachusetts State House today. The contest challenged first-grade students from across the Commonwealth to illustrate their vision of an ideal school.

Eight students were named regional winners: Lauren Montiero of Bellingham, Anahi Gutierrez of Somerville, Jack Guy of Marblehead, Emma Bourbeau of Fitchburg, Belal Shabaneh of Springfield, Mariah Kennedy of Webster, Elena Sun of Falmouth and Niamh Gallagher of Lakeville.

Anahi Gutierrez of East Somerville Community School was awarded the grand prize for her drawing. 

"We're pleased to support the Massachusetts School Building Authority in their efforts which have such a positive impact on so many students across the state," said Juan Davila, head of specialty banking at Santander.

Mr. Davila and Pat Packard, Santander's director of government banking, presented the grand prize winner with a $200 award and recognized the seven other regional winners with $100 awards for their achievements and participation in the Massachusetts School Building Authority contest.

"I'm inspired by the creativity and talent demonstrated by these young scholars, and on behalf of Santander, extend our congratulations and best wishes," said Ms. Packard.  "While each of the students expressed unique visions in their drawings and accompanying remarks, a common thread was their love of learning and their deep appreciation for an attractive and supportive environment in which to do so." 

The My Ideal School contest is organized by the MSBA every year to promote discussion among students and teachers to foster thoughtful design and construction of schools in Massachusetts in order to better support student learning.  The contest was open to all first-grade students currently attending a Massachusetts public school and thousands of submissions from across the Commonwealth were submitted for the 2014 contest.

Santander's sponsorship of the "My Ideal School" contest is part of its long-standing commitment to education at all levels--from elementary through post-secondary. Through its Santander Universities division, Santander provided over $10 million in scholarships and grants in 2013 to 28 colleges and universities in the United States, including 14 institutions in Massachusetts.

About Santander

Santander Bank, N.A. is one of the largest retail banks in the United States by deposits.  Its main corporate offices are in Boston and it operates principally in Connecticut, Delaware, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania and Rhode Island. Santander's 9,469 employees serve its 1.8 million customers through the Bank's 706 branches, 2,074 ATMs, call centers, website and mobile app. Supervised by the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency and a member of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, Santander in the United States is a wholly-owned, financially autonomous subsidiary of Banco Santander SAN, a global commercial and retail bank. For more information about Santander, visit www.santanderbank.com or call 877-768-2265.

SOURCE Santander Bank, N.A.