PAUL SMITHS, NY - The following area students won baking scholarships during the 13th annual Cooking for Scholarships competition, held on Saturday, March 6, at Paul Smith's College:

Jennalee Lesperance of Harrisville won a baking and pastry textbook plus a $250 scholarship after competing in the event. Lesperance is a student at Harrisville Central School and Southwest Tech BOCES.

Gracie Butterfield of Ogdensburg won a $250 scholarship after competing in the event. Butterfield is a student at Ogdensburg Free Academy and Northwest Tech BOCES.

Each contestant decorated a 9-inch cake, poached a pear and caramelized apples as part of the competition.

More than $30,000 in scholarships and prizes were awarded at the event, which was judged by a panel of Paul Smith's faculty chefs. Scholarships are renewable for up to four years.

The competitors prepared their food at the Statler Foundation Culinary Training Facility on the Paul Smith's campus. That building includes seven culinary laboratories and is also home to the Wally Ganzi Jr. Restaurant Training Center, which is modeled after the renowned Palm restaurant chain of steak houses.