GLENDALE, Calif., Nov. 10 /PRNewswire/ -- With bundles of fresh marigold flowers, several boxes of nerds candy, pixy sticks and lots of creativity, Jon Medina, a fifteen-year-old from Ohio, became the grand prize winner of this year's Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) WONKA Arte contest.

As part of this year's WONKA Arte program, teens were invited to show Willy Wonka their talent by creating art that reflects what Day of the Dead means to them. Medina submitted a traditional Day of the Dead altar that paid tribute to his great grandmother and older brother. "Even though I never met my great grandmother and older brother, through the altar, we could remember their presence and pay tribute to them," said Medina.

Entries ranged from flat art, to 3-D art, to music and video. Each entry needed to incorporate the Day of the Dead theme, as well as the WONKA(R) brand and WONKA(R) candies. All entries were judged based on creativity, incorporation of WONKA(R) brand, candy, and Day of the Dead theme and relevance.

"WONKA Arte serves as a program that links traditional Day of the Dead celebrations, like altar building, through modern digital formats to connect with contemporary Hispanic youth," said Gilberto Gutierrez, Wonka marketing associate. "Since candy is a favorite treat for many, and it naturally lends itself as garnish for many Day of Dead artistic items such as altars and sugar skulls, WonkaArte honors this special tradition with its own wacky Wonka spirit."

"Day of the dead to me is not just a holiday, it's a tradition, and since I can't celebrate Day of the Dead in Mexico, I thought I would celebrate it here through art," commented Medina.

All entries were judged and narrowed down to the top 15 finalists by mun2 VJ, Pico and mun2 staff. All entries were posted in a special gallery on HolaMun2.com/Wonka where visitors to the site voted for the final grand prize winner and runner ups. The grand prize package Medina will receive is valued at over $2,200 and includes: a Macbook Pro computer, an iPod nano and a $150 iTunes gift card.

About Dia de los Muertos

Day of the Dead is a Pre-Columbian holiday traditionally observed in Mexico November 1 and 2. The holiday focuses on honoring loved ones who have passed away by celebrating their lives. Traditional ornaments, alongside items like sugar skulls, candies, photographs, papel picado, candles, incense and marigold flowers are included in altars made to honor a loved one.

About Mun2

mun2 is the preeminent voice for Latino youth in America. Launched in 2001 as the first national cable network to offer bilingual programming for young U.S. Latinos, the multiplatform entertainment network offers authentic content that reflects the lifestyle of this fast-growing segment of the population with original, relevant and cutting-edge programs in proven genres including music, movies, sports, fashion, and social activism. The network, which reflects emerging trends in all areas of pop and youth culture that are endorsed by its bicultural audience, is available nationwide on digital and analog cable, and satellite and free television. mun2 is distributed to over 25.1 million U.S. TV households and is the first-ever Latino youth-oriented cable network to have full subscription to the Nielsen Hispanic Household Index measurement service. The network is part of Telemundo Cable Networks, a division of NBC Universal Cable Networks.

About WONKA

The Willy Wonka Candy Factory company opened its doors in 1983. Since that time, Wonka has been dedicated to the art of producing fun, innovative, high-quality candies for kids of all ages. WONKA(R) candies include well-known favorites such as: NERDS(R), NERDS(R) Rope, Giant Chewy NERDS(R), SWEETARTS(R), SWEETARTS(R) SQUEEZ, SHOCKERS, LAFFY TAFFY(R), RUNTS(R), EVERLASTING GOBSTOPPER(R), LIK-M-AID(R) FUN DIP, PIXY STIX(R), BOTTLE CAPS(R), and the WONKA(R) Bar.

About Nestle

Named one of "America's Most Admired Food Companies" in Fortune magazine for the eleventh consecutive year, Nestle USA provides quality brands and products that bring flavor to life every day. From nutritious meals with Lean Cuisine(R) to baking traditions with Nestle(R) Toll House(R), Nestle USA makes delicious, convenient, and nutritious food and beverage products that enrich the very experience of life itself. That's what "Nestle. Good Food, Good Life" is all about. Nestle USA, with 2007 sales of $8.25 billion, is part of Nestle S.A. in Vevey, Switzerland -- the world's largest food company -- with sales of $90 billion. For product news and information, visit Nestleusa.com or NestleNewsroom.com.

SOURCE WONKA