OLL Student Goes to State for Power of the Pen!

Melana Blase was recognized for outstanding work with Power of the Pen.

Melana Blase, a seventh grade student at Our Lady of the Lake School, has had an impressive year with Power of the Pen, a national program that helps students become powerful writers through coaching and competitions. While the whole team at Our Lady of the Lake has had good success, and competed at the Regional tournament, Melana has really gone above and beyond. Of 101 competitors at Regionals in the seventh grade level, she came in 16th -- with one piece being ranked first in her entire category, scoring above all other seventh grade participants. She succeeded in advancing to represent Our Lady of the Lake at the State tournament in Wooster on May 26, one of 700 students chosen from a field of 7,000 writers state-wide. It's a significant accomplishment in a highly competitive field, and while she didn't bring home the award from State, it made for an impressive finish to a great year.