Photo Gallery Riddle Elementary chili takes first place at 2008 FEF Chili Challenge

The Frisco Education Foundation’s annual chili challenge – which grew out of its original home at Staley Middle School two years ago, continues to bring in huge crowds and good cooks.

This year’s event raised approximately $20,000 for scholarships and grants. “We had 42 entries and estimated crowd participation was 3,000 people in a two hour time span,” added Allison Miller, director of the Frisco Education Foundation.

The event, held on the concourse at Pizza Hut Park, is a favorite of families and is traditionally held before the last FISD campus home game of the year – which this year was Frisco High School against Centennial High School.

The winners chosen by a panel of independent judges Andy Hardin, Jan Gandy, Dick Ellis, and Mayor Maher Maso in a blind contest were Riddle Elementary, 1st place; the Student Opportunity Center, 2nd place, and Gunstream Elementary, 3rd place.

The People’s Choice awards, which are done according to ballots cast by attendees went to Curtsinger Elementary, 1st; Sparks Elementary, 2nd ; and Rogers Elementary, 3rd place. Awards were also given for number of tickets sold that night and those went to Curtsinger, again 1st place; Mooneyham Elementary, 2nd place; and Liberty High School, 3rd place.

The corporate/civic/community awards went to teams from the Frisco Rotary Club, 1st place; Frisco Fire Department, 2nd place; and Strikz Entertainment, 3rd place.

Decoration and theme is also a big part of the fun of this event. Winners in the category of  "Best Presentation" were Ogle Elementary, 1st place; Mooneyham, 2nd place and Student Opportunity Center, 3rd place. Ogle’s booth was decorated to fit a beautiful wintery ski lodge.