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Ryley Preisler
Ryley is an 14-year-old eighth grader at Wyoming Connections Academy (WYCA). She lives in Casper, Wyoming. When asked what she enjoys doing outside of school, Ryley responded “perform, I love the spotlight. I also really like physical things, like sports or running. But, of course, I like to play video games and watch some TV. Who doesn't?” She won Honorable Mention for Sixth Grade Fiction in this year‘s Young Author Contest in Casper, Wyoming. She tells her own story below.
“The contest was open to all Natrona County students from kindergarten through sixth grade, and hundreds participated. I won for my story Gas Station Runaway, which is a mystery about two girls about my age. I won a ribbon, which was huge, and it made me proud to hear my work read aloud, and to receive my ribbon. I love to write, sometimes writing my own TV episodes, complete with scripts for my friends to act out. I also love to read, and my mom and dad say I was born reading, because it seemed like I could always do it. I guess that is why my favorite subject in school is language arts, because it lets me do what I love, and even get a grade for it!
I go to school at Connections Academy. I love WYCA because of the flexible schedule. My favorite thing about WYCA is that each lesson is scheduled for me. When I was home-schooling, it was never set what I was going to be doing that day. I also like the simple courses. It's not burdening to do school. I know that if I work hard I can get done for that day. I also like being able to work ahead, then take some time off to do other things I like. Those times find me cross country skiing, reading a good book, or doing volunteer Bible work. Or, best of all, traveling on a great family adventure. Our family loves to travel. At eleven I have already been in 24 states, and also to Niagara Falls in Canada.”