Eiffel Tower of cans wins elementary school competition

Andersen and Lincoln elementary schools put this competition in the can.

Andersen’s Eiffel Tower of donated cans was named the most creative structure and Lincoln’s 2,963 cans collected were the most in the fourth annual Canned Food Castle Competition.

In the two-week contest, students at five Newport Beach schools held a food drive and built structures out of the cans and boxes they collected.

Eastbluff, Harbor View and Newport Coast elementary schools also participated.

The donated goods will be given to charitable organizations including Share Our Selves in Costa Mesa and Families Forward, based in Irvine.

Newport Beach police Officer Gary Clemente, the competition’s judge this year, visited all five campuses to see their creations, and declared the winners Friday.

“The best part of judging the competition was getting to meet the students and parents that were involved with this program,” Clemente said. “I was afforded the opportunity to create an open dialogue about some of the issues low-income families in Orange County experience on a daily basis, like homelessness and not having enough food to eat. … I couldn’t think of a better message to teach these students and schools.”

The can creations included the Seven Wonders of the World at Newport Coast and Yoda’s face at Harbor View.

The Andersen students used their cans to pay their respects to Paris following the recent terrorist attacks there. They built a likeness of the Eiffel Tower with a peace sign at the foot of it.

“We chose the Eiffel Tower as a symbol of honor and support for all those affected by this senseless tragedy,” Andersen parent Christina Hahne said. “It was a collaborative effort by the children to promote a peaceful world community for all of us.”