Chesco student wins national essay contest

CHESTER COUNTY

Student wins national essay contest

WEST CHESTER From her pen to the pope's desk.

West Chester seventh grader Raquel Lacusky wrote the winning letter in a national essay contest that asked students to tell Pope Francis about how young people can build a better world.

Lacusky, who attends St. Agnes School, won first place for grades six through eight in the 2014 Maryknoll Student Essay Contest.

Her letter will be sent to Pope Francis by Maryknoll, a Catholic missionary group.

Lacusky, 13, wrote about lessons she learned working as a volunteer with young patients at the Ronald McDonald House in Wilmington, said Eileen Dunn, her English teacher.

"She's very excited," Dunn said. "To have her win first place is really quite an honor for her and for the school."

Lacusky's essay was chosen out of 8,000 entries. She is the first St. Agnes student to win the annual contest, Dunn said.

Her essay will be published in Maryknoll's magazine this spring. She will be presented with a prize on Friday when the Rev. Robert Jalbert of Maryknoll New York visits St. Agnes.

- Justine McDaniel