Several youngsters and school classes picked up honors in the George Washington Foundation's 2009 Gingerbread Contest and Exhibit.

The event featured individual and group winners in various age categories.

Winners are on exhibit through the end of the month at George Washington's Ferry Farm, 268 Kings Highway in Stafford County.

Hours are 10 a.m.-4 p.m. daily. A general admission fee is charged.

The theme this year was "George Washington Slept Here," so any building he is known to have slept in was fair game for re-creation.

The winners also included Best in Show recipients. Valerie Johnson won the award in the category for ages 11 and older. In the category of ages 2 through 10, Best in Show went to Shyla Estes' third-grade class at Grymes Memorial School in Orange.

Winners in the various individual categories were:

Ages 2-5: Daniel Merriman, first place

Ages 6-10: Catherine Malone, first place; Dayna Richards, second place; Meredith Adams, third place

Ages 18 and older: Valerie Johnson, first place; Sharon Johnson, second place.

Winners in group categories were:

Ages 6-10: Mrs. Estes' third-grade class, Grymes Memorial School, Orange, first place

Ages 11-14: Wilderness Bridge Group National Society of the Children of the American Revolution, first place

Ages 15-17: Bettina Hoeninger's German class at Courtland High School, first place; Cindi Kelly's German class at Massaponax High School, second place

Ages 18 and older: Katherine MacPhail, first place; Martha Thompson, second place

Family-made: Webster family, first place; Tivnan family, second place; Bosco family, third place

Special-needs group: Mr. Drotar's class at Riverbend High School, first place.