CAPE CENTRAL STUDENT THIRD IN INTERNATIONAL ESSAY CONTEST

A high school English assignment proved to be a winner for Cape Girardeau Central student Bryn McDougall, who finished third in a recent Optimist International essay contest involving more than 1,000 entries.

"I'm glad I had to do it," said an excited McDougall, who won a $2,000 scholarship for her effort. "It turned out really nice."

The essay contest focused on the "boundaries of freedom."

"I wrote that the boundaries of freedom are determined by the choices that a person makes," she said.

In conjunction with the contest, McDougall said, she will be attending a "Freedom Foundation" conference at Valley Forge, Pa., this summer.

Bryn is the daughter of Gerald and Karen McDougall. Gerald McDougall is the dean of the Harrison College of Business at Southeast Missouri State University.