San Jose, CA-This past Tuesday and Wednesday throngs of High School students from schools around Santa Clara County converged on Plaza de Caesar Chavez in downtown San Jose to decorate their entries for the Christmas Tree Competition for Christmas in the Park This time-honored tradition brings out friendly high school rivalry and some of the best artistic and creative achievements of our local high school’s art departments, clubs, sports, and school organizations.

This year more than twenty local high schools entered with 35 trees competing in two categories: Group “A” representing the “art and design” category, and group “B” as “general non-art related clubs and groups”. “This program encourages local high school clubs and art classes to compete for scholarships by entering the High School Tree Decorating Contest” according to Christmas in the Park Website.

The High School Tree Competition judging will take place on December 4th and the winners will be announced on the official Christmas in the Park website later that day or the following Monday, according to Katie Peterson, Special Events Coordinator for City of San Jose. The criteria for the student’s competition, according to Board Member, Heidi Shigematsu, are as follows:

• Originality in design
• Theme appropriate to the event
• Creativity
• Artistic skills
• Use of common materials in a creative and unique manner

The rules include the use of a minimum of 80 weather resistant ornaments, 5 strings of lights (two of which are provided by the city), and a maximum of 5 feet from the trunk of the tree, outward, for any additional decorations. Students had a time limit of just two and half hours (on their chosen day of either Tuesday or Wednesday) to complete the decorating.

Three judges chosen from the community, often come from high profile and celebrity professions such as last year’s judge, Superior Court Judge Sal Pizzaro, along with television and sports personalities and members of the press. Each will volunteer their time to make the difficult selection of winners from among the many talented entries. The winners will receive scholarships of $400 for first place, $300 for second, and $100 for third.

Peterson, a local graduate herself of Live Oak High School in Morgan Hill, is in charge of overseeing the event along with Shigematsu (also a local graduate whose alma mater is Presentation High and San Jose State University) and fellow Board Member, Max Schultz. The amount of time and effort that goes into Christmas in the Park as a whole is astounding.

It takes thousands and thousands of volunteer hours to bring this incredible event to the community. “Christmas in the Park draws over 450,000 people to downtown San Jose during the four-week holiday season [and] is supported through fundraising efforts by the volunteer Board of Directors”, according to the official Christmas in the Park website. What is even more amazing—the even t is completely free to the public.

Christmas in the Park is only possible by the tireless efforts of hundreds of volunteers from throughout the community along with Christmas in the Park Board members of whom we all owe a debt of gratitude for not only bringing us the High School Tree competition, but weeks of holiday cheer and enjoyment to our community.

Special thanks to the following Christmas in the Park Board and Advisory members:
Christmas in the Park Board Members include: John Herschbach, President, Martie Degutis, Vice President, Randy George, Treasurer, Joyce Clark, Secretary, Kellie Blach, Joe Cardinalli, Ben Carlucci, JoAnn Cymanski*, Karen, Fierravanti , James Garcia, Rick Linquist, Larry Seabert, Max Schultz, Heidi Shigematsu, John Sobol, Gus Lima , Vince Lima, Julie Mello, Karen Naegli, Eddie Owen*, Arleen Runels, Kim Rye, Nancy Sandretto, Steve Tedesco, John Weller, and Cindy Willyard.

Christmas in the Park Advisory Committee Members include: Marilyn Abad, Kay M. Bell, Tim Boothe, Dan Connolly, Mike Fiamingo, Lt. Andy Galea, Stacey Holden, Kathy Liggett, Kay Linquist , Linda Okenquist, Connie Osti, Holly Perez, Bruce Pohle, Richard White, and Les Yeffa.

List of Schools in this year’s Christmas in the Park High School Tree competition:
American High School Asian Pacific Islander Club Group B
Ann Sobrato High School Sobrato FFA Group B:
Archbishop Mitty Group A:
Bellarmine College Preparatory Bellarmine National Honor Society Group B
Central County Occupational Center Interior Design Class Group A
Cupertino High School Art Club Group A
ESUHSD Post Senior P-8 Tims Group B
ESUHSD Post Senior P-15 Barnes Group B
ESUHSD Post Senior P-16 Gow Group B
ESUHSD Post Senior Group B
Evergreen Valley High School African American Student Union Group B
Gunderson High School Polynesian Club Group B
Independence High School SpaceTech Engineering Group B
James Lick High School Athletic Booster Club Group B
James Lick High School Group B
Leland High School Leland High School ASB Group A:
Leland High School National Art Honor Society Group A
Lincoln High School National Art Honor Society Group A
Live Oak High School Morgan Hill FFA Group B
Milpitas High School A Single Light Club Group B
Pegasus High School Student Body Group B
Piedmont Hills High School LASO- Latin American Student Organization Group B
Pioneer High School National Art Honor Society Group A
San Jose High Academy Cinco de Mayo Group B
San Jose High Academy International Baccalaureate Advocacy Group Group B
San Jose High Academy Art and ASB Group A
Silver Creek High School Cheer Team Group B
Silver Creek High School Art Club Group A
Valley Christian High School Club Interact Group B
Wilcox High School New Life Campus Outreach Club Group B
Yerba Buena High School Art and Photo Club Group A
Yerba Buena High School Latino Club Group B
Yerba Buena High School Project ROAR Group B
Yerba Buena High School Green Club Group B
Yerba Buena High School Health Club Group B

Sources-
http://www.christmasinthepark.com/about/history.html
http://www.christmasinthepark.com/about/faq.html
Phone interview Nov 25, 2009 Katie Peterson and Heidi Shigematsu