2012 NKBA/GE Charette Competition Winners Announced

HACKETTSTOWN, N.J., and SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. – For the seventh consecutive year, the National Kitchen & Bath Association (NKBA) and GE Appliances are proud to announce the winners of the NKBA/GE Charette Competition, which awards students more than $20,000 in scholarships. The competition recognizes students who demonstrate advanced skill in kitchen design by planning a safe, functional kitchen within a three-hour period.

"There is an incredible level of talent and creativity among the students at NKBA-accredited colleges," said Brandon Hochhalter, marketing manager for GE Monogram. “Each year we recognize the outstanding designs integrating GE Monogram® appliances in the kitchen. GE would like to congratulate all the finalists for their excellent designs and wish them continued success in the future."

More than 400 students from 31 colleges participated in the challenge, which included creating a kitchen floor plan with specifications, along with a design statement and perspective or elevation of a kitchen featuring GE appliances, completed within three hours. Each of the 31 colleges chose up to three local winners to receive $50.

“We are proud to support the programs that will help develop student designers into the future generation of professional designers,” said 2012 NKBA President Alan W. Zielinski, CKD. “When students have targeted their area of interest in the kitchen and bath industry, we want to offer them opportunity to hone their interest and ability and turn it into a real skill and a solid career.”

The design challenge: create a kitchen using GE Monogram® brand appliances, which offer commercial-grade features for clients Joshua & Ashley Henderson and their 14 year old daughter Taylor. Taylor is a player on her school’s softball team. The Henderson’s often have the team over to celebrate their wins. They want the team to have quick access to drinks, so a conveniently located GE under-counter beverage center was desired.

All designs must adhere to the NKBA Planning Guidelines, as well as to NKBA Graphic and Presentation Standards. The winning designers successfully incorporated these elements into their creations, along with special features that impressed the judges.

2012 Winners:

1st place - $5,000 Scholarship

Alicia Meeker, Vancouver Community College; Vancouver, BC, Canada

2nd place - $4,000 Scholarship

Valene Edwards, Brigham Young University- Idaho; Rexburg, ID

3rd place - $3,000 Scholarship

Julie Arthurs – Lakeland College, Vermillion, AB, Canada

4th place - $2,500 Scholarship

Rebecca Johnston - Lakeland College, Vermillion, AB, Canada

5th place - $2,000 Scholarship

Alexandra Williams, Virginia Tech; Blacksburg, VA

Honorable Mentions - $1,000 scholarships

Jill Garibaldi, Cañada College; Redwood City, CA

Nozomi Galloway, West Valley College; Saratoga, CA

Karen Klavuhn, Santa Fe Community College; Santa Fe, NM

Ellen Peterson, Alexandria Technical & Community College; Alexandria, MN

Kent Schumacher, University of Nebraska Kearney Campus, Kearney, NB

To receive the winning designs, contact NKBA Academic Relations Manager Sherylin Doyle, AKBD at 1-800-THE-NKBA (843-6522) x3793 or at [email protected].

Source: National Kitchen & Bath Association and GE Appliances

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