Oasis Academy student McKenna Jaques stands with her letter notifying the school of her winning essay; her English teacher Berenice de Leon, who submitted the student essays, is in the background.
Oasis Academy College Prep student McKenna Jaques, who will enter ninth grade next month, wrote a winning essay for the “Discover Your Nevada” essay contest in spring — out of 160 submissions.
Submitted by her English teacher, Berenice de Leon, Jaques’ winning entry was a quick assignment the student said; yet in a letter from the Department of Education Northern Nevada office, it said, “The judges were impressed with the tone, irony and sense of wonder she conveyed in the essay.”
As a reward, Jaques, her mother and Jaques’ best friend will be touring Nevada sites including ghost towns in August with the Nevada Department of Tourism and Cultural Affairs.