`21' Is the Winning Number for Students and California's Missions: 21 Students Can Win in Poster Competition Sponsored by 21St Century Insurance.

News Editors & Education/Travel Writers

WOODLAND HILLS, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec. 12, 2001

In a collaboration designed to increase public awareness of the critical preservation needs of California's 21 historic Missions, 21st Century Insurance Company has joined forces with the California Missions Foundation to sponsor a statewide poster competition for 4th grade students throughout the state.

Sharon Davis, First Lady of California, has agreed to serve as one of the judges for the contest.

Entitled "A Day in the Life of a Mission," the contest will honor 21 winning students and their schools for poster entries that best express what they have learned about the unique role that the Missions played in state history. 21st Century Insurance is providing $8,400 in prize money for the competition, among other costs.

Linked by the common denominator of the number of historic Missions and its own corporate name, 21st Century Insurance first helped the non-profit California Missions Foundation last year by underwriting the printing of 35,000 copies of both a Missions educational guide and a touring map to the Mission locations. This week, the poster competition is being announced to California schools and social studies teachers in a mailing of 15,000 copies of the educational publications.

According to 21st Century Insurance President and CEO Bruce Marlow: "The California Missions Foundation was established to raise awareness and funds to preserve, restore, maintain and protect these treasures of California history. Every year throughout California, thousands of 4th graders study the Missions and carry those lessons home to parents and families."

"The poster competition is designed to maximize that ripple effect," added Marlow. "It provides a way to communicate an important aspect of our state history to an even wider audience in a colorful, creative way. It rewards students for their learning achievements as expressed through the poster format."

Rick Ameil, President of the California Missions Foundation, commended the company on its decision to fund the poster competition: "By providing the seed money for the project, 21st Century Insurance gave us the ability to reach many more people with information about the Missions -- past, present and future."

Open to all California 4th grade students in public and private schools who study the Missions as part of their "California: A Changing State" studies, the deadline for entries is April 12, 2002.

Cash prizes from 21st Century Insurance will be awarded to each of 21 winning entries, as follows: $50 for the winning student, $100 to the winner's teacher, and $250 to the winner's school. All students who enter will receive a certificate of recognition. All prize presentations will be made by May 31, 2002.

In addition to the cash prizes, many students will have their posters exhibited to the public next summer in the California State Capitol and, subsequently, at exhibits being arranged at many of the 21 Missions throughout the state. Posters may also be featured in future calendars, posters, and publications related to California Mission Foundation preservation projects.

Specifications and criteria, as well as forms required for entries for the contest, can be found at the websites of both the California Missions Foundation at www.missionsofcalifornia.org and 21st Century Insurance at i21.com. Questions about the competition may be addressed to Jan Brown at [e-mail].

21st Century (NYSE:TW) is headquartered at 21st Century Plaza, 6301 Owensmouth Ave., Woodland Hills, CA 91367. Established in 1958, the company has offices in California, Nevada and Arizona and provides coverage to more than one million vehicles. 21st Century holds an A+ (superior) rating from A.M. Best, the world's oldest independent insurance rating and information service.