LA's Los Altos High School Designs Dream Vehicle for Chrysler Group

           Annual Design Contest Yields Top Prize for Area Students

    LOS ANGELES, March 16 Teamwork, dedication and imagination
contributed to the triumph of Los Altos High School during the 2001 "Build
Your Dream Vehicle" educational challenge in Los Angeles.  The winning team's
concept vehicle, Serenity, earned $3,000, a first place trophy and the
opportunity to compete at the National Finals in May at Chrysler Group's North
American headquarters in Auburn Hills, Michigan.  Los Altos High School also
earned second place receiving $2,000 and a trophy, Cleveland High School was
honored with third place, winning a trophy and $1,000.  The day-long contest
was March 16 at Loyola Marymount University.

    The Chrysler Group launched the "Build Your Dream Vehicle" program in
1994.  The contest challenges high school students to use teamwork and
creativity to conceive, design and present an innovative, environmentally
friendly vehicle concept.  All entries must include a marketing strategy,
financial plan and a three-dimensional model or drawing of the dream concept.

    Los Altos High School's winning entry, Serenity, sports a sleek,
aerodynamic appearance.  It is designed to compete in the luxury sports sedan
segment and utilizes a methanol fuel cell.

    The winning team's instructor, Bob Franz, a computer programming teacher
at Los Altos High School, said, "We are honored to win this competition and we
look forward to competing in the National Finals in May.  But the significant
life lessons my students have learned by working together have been the most
valuable prizes of the competition."

    Students and coaches on the three winning teams are:

    Name of High School        Concept Vehicle   Students and Coach
    First Place - Los Altos    Serenity          Jenny Liu, Jose Marchen, Alan
                                                 Wei, Jonathon Hsiung, George
                                                 Wu, Curtis Wong, Martin
                                                 Indrajana, Lauren Miyake
                                                 (Coach: Bob Franz)

    Second Place - Los Altos   Ascent            Bobby Lee, James Lee,
                                                 Jessica Lu, Daniel Mai,
                                                 Brian Tagiku, Edith Tchon,
                                                 Philip Song, Joseph Xu
                                                 (Coach: Bob Franz)

    Third Place - Cleveland    Solo              Grace Aprilia, Boris Linares,
                                                 Michael Landers, Robert
                                                 Delgado, Emerson Farfan
                                                 (Coach: Don Runyan)

    Road to Victory
    Student teams began working on their "dream" vehicles at the start of the
2000-2001 school year.  In January, 20 Los Angeles-area teams sent their
"Build Your Dream Vehicle" entries to Chrysler Group headquarters for
preliminary judging.  As a result, eight teams were selected to compete in the
Los Angeles regional finals.

    Through May, student teams in Washington D.C./Baltimore, Detroit, Atlanta
and Chicago will present their dream concepts at regional competitions.  First
place winners from each city will advance to the national finals in May.