MiraCosta Students Win Big at the San Diego County Fair

MiraCosta College students from the Horticulture and Design Drafting departments were honored with some of the San Diego County Fair’s highest awards.

Two recent MiraCosta College graduates, Kimberly Alexander and Gigi Lopatriello both designed and installed their own displays at the fair this year in the Paul Ecke, Jr. Flower Garden Show and won five awards each, with Lopatriello taking the Best Overall Display and Alexander taking the Best Themed Garden. In addition, ten MiraCosta College interns and two volunteers worked to install the San Diego Horticultural Society's garden display, which won eight awards.

MiraCosta's Horticulture Department also sponsors two awards (one specifically for a youth display) given for the best presentation of a landscape display successfully integrating the principles of sustainability, functionality, and aesthetics. The winners this year were Lopatriello and the Escondido High School Future Farmers of America.

Students from MiraCosta’s Design Drafting Department also received awards, including three Best in Show and seven Best in Class ribbons in various divisions:

Dennis Selke

Best of Show/Best of Class

Architectural Model

Lisa DiMarco

Best of Show/Best of Class

Architectural Hand Drawing

Gene Arce

Best of Show/Best of Class

Concept Car Design

Miguel Reyes

Best of Class

Architectural CAD Drawing

Lenart Tso

Best of Class

Architectural Model

Alberto Ortiz

Best of Class

Architectural CAD Drawing

Matt Wiedemeier

Best of Class

3D Solid Modeling Prototype Projects 

MiraCosta College is a public California community college serving coastal North San Diego County. Fall classes begin August 20. For more information, call 760.757.2121.