San Gabriel Mission’s History Day on Saturday, April 21, will feature the Eighth Annual Model Mission Exhibit and Contest scheduled from 1p.m. to 3 p.m. that is co-sponsored by the Ramona Museum of California History in San Gabriel and San Gabriel Mission.

Each year, thousands of fourth-grade elementary school students in California build a model of a California mission using various materials. And, this year a group/family mission model-building project category is included for the fourth straight year to go along with the fourth grade category and any age category.

Entry forms will be accepted through April 16 (also can be mailed no later than that day), for contestants who live in Southern California.

This year, up to $500 total in cash or prizes is waiting to be won. All contestants will receive a gift from San Gabriel Mission, and be entered into free prize drawings, announced contest Director Chuck Lyons of San Gabriel Mission.

Categories are fourth grade student at any public or private school in Southern California, person of any age living in Southern California, and any family/group living in Southern California. The winner of the first two categories will receive $75, second place will receive $50, and third place will receive $25. The winner of the family/group project will receive a gift pack worth at least $100 from San Gabriel Mission.  In addition, there will be a $100 prize for the Overall Model Champion, two Director’s Awards, and the top two classrooms with the most participation will be awarded $100 in history books, maps and more from San Gabriel Mission.

The models can be of any of the 21 missions in California, be made of various materials, and include the church, other buildings and gardens, and should be no larger than three feet wide by three feet long.

Interested persons should visit mission’s web site www.sangabrielmissionchurch.org or mission’s gift shop at 427 S. Junipero Serra Dr. in San Gabriel to get more information and the entry form. An entry form must be delivered or mailed no later than April 16. After April 16, entrants should visit or call the gift shop and ask if there is space for the entry to be assigned an entry number. The fee to enter is only regular admission to the museum when contestants arrive on April 21. A parent or guardian age 18 or older must be with the student during the contest and pay a regular admission fee.

Admission prices are free for age five and younger, $3 for age 6 through 17, $5 for age 18-61, and $4 for age 62 and older. The mission museum and gardens will be open from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Contestants must bring their completed model and sign-in between Noon and 12:45 p.m. on April 21, so their model is ready for viewing and judging no later than 1 p.m. Models will be displayed until 3 p.m.  Contestants can keep their model after the contest.

San Gabriel Mission History Day was created so that, once a month on a Saturday, visitors can learn more about mission history: people, cultures, events, buildings, artwork, artifacts, plant life and more.  Some months a contest is scheduled.

Free self-parking is available on a first-come basis in the church lot at the intersection of Mission Road and Junipero Serra Drive. The address is 427 S. Junipero Serra Dr., San Gabriel, CA 91776. Also, free parking is available on streets by the mission.  San Gabriel Mission was founded on Sept. 8, 1771 as the fourth oldest of 21 missions in California.  The Roman Catholic parish has more than 50 active groups in a language of

either English, Spanish, Vietnamese, Tagalog (Filipino) or Chinese.