A sixth-grade student attending Legacy Traditional School - East Mesa won a $529 check for their winning entry in the AZ529 Essay Contest.
Bristyn McKinney won the honors in the event, which awards 20 winners representing every Arizona county and district, charter, private, tribal and homeschool students for their essays on their dream job. The money McKinney won will go to an AZ529 savings plan account which will be saved for college or other higher forms of education.
McKinney wrote in her essay that she wanted to be a surgical or perioperative nurse, just like her parents.
“I wrote that I wanted to be a surgical nurse when I grow up,” McKinney said. “They inspired me to be a nurse too.”
AZ State Treasurer Kimberly Yee, who oversees the competition, said the contest not only inspires kids to dream big, but also learn about financial education.
“It really allows for young students to aspire to whatever they would like to be when they grow up,” Yee said. “With that responsibility comes earning that money for higher education, and in saving for education, it becomes purposeful and has real meaning, and they start to think beyond the classroom.”
Tanya Sutton, a literature teacher at Legacy Traditional School, works with McKinney often, as the young student is part of her homeroom class. Sutton said Bristyn’s work ethic and dedication to whatever she puts her mind to made her a perfect candidate for this competition.
“Bristyn is a bright, hardworking young lady who consistently goes above and beyond in everything she does,” Sutton said. “She approaches her assignments with dedication and enthusiasm, and she always strives to exceed expectations. Her strong work ethic and genuine love for learning made her an excellent candidate for the AZ529 Essay Contest.”
Sutton echoed what Yee said and reinforced the importance of the contest to make students start to think about their future.
“It’s important for students at this age to begin dreaming big and thinking about their future, and opportunities like this contest allow them to explore their aspirations and set goals,” Sutton said. “Participating in the contest also helped Bristyn strengthen her writing skills and grow beyond her grade level — benefits that go far beyond the prize money.”
Yee praised McKinney for her essay submission being very detail-oriented and specific about what she wanted to do, which put her above many of the other entrants.
“She was very specific and detailed in her essay that she wanted to not only have her high school diploma and bachelor’s degree, but also an associate degree in nursing school,” Yee said. “She was very specific about her future educational goals. She mentioned that her mother is a nurse, so she wanted to follow in her footsteps, which is really sweet.”
McKinney won’t be going to college for a while. She needs to complete middle and high school first, but she already has a place in mind.
“I plan on going to ASU and getting a bachelor’s degree in nursing,” McKinney said.
After graduating from Arizona State University's Cronkite School in spring 2022, Connor Van Ligten spent a little over year as a reporter for WWL-TV in New Orleans before finding themselves back in Phoenix in October of 2023. Now back in the Valley and writing for the Mesa Independent and the Daily Independent, Connor is ready to tell meaningful stories and report on important civic issues facing Mesa. Connor is a big fan of the 49ers, Warriors, pro wrestling, anime, dogs and fighting video games.
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