Apple Valley Middle student one of four grand prize winners in national contest

HENDERSONVILLE — Out of thousands of entries across the country in the Hispanic Heritage Month essay contest by Optimum and TelevisaUnivision, only four were chosen as grand-prize winners, and one of those four hails from Hendersonville.

Apple Valley Middle School eighth grader Christopher Hernandez-Montero earned one of the four $3,000 grand-prize scholarships after winning the West middle school division. There were three other winners, with East and West division winners for both high school and middle school.

According to a news release from Optimum, the contest invited students across the company's 21-state footprint to share in 500 words or less a person or group of people with Hispanic heritage who have kept their community connected to one another, to their culture or to those outside of their community.

The contest was held from Sept. 15-Oct. 31. The other grand prize winners were Adrián L. from New Canaan High School in New Canaan, Connecticut; Giana C. from South Side Middle School in Rockville Centre, New York and Noah M. from Jessieville High School in Jessieville, Arkansas, the release said.

Additionally, for the first time, Optimum and TelevisaUnivision recognized the educators who encouraged their students to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month by submitting an essay, the release said. Special gifts were awarded to educators who sponsored the highest number of essay submissions from their students.

Runner-up prizes were also awarded to three students in each division for a total of 12 runner-up prizes. Students were recognized in a live virtual celebration event on Dec. 15. Out of the grand prize and runner-up winners, Hernandez-Montero was the only student from North Carolina.

This article originally appeared on Hendersonville Times-News: Apple Valley Middle student one of four grand prize winners in national contest