Ambitious student rewarded with Perry's ice cream party

Melanie Franco and her best friend Kristina Sosnowski, seventh -graders at Amherst Middle School, enjoy a Perry's ice cream party held in Melanie's honor on Monday. She was awarded third place in an essay contest outlining her goals for the school year. Photo by Jim Smerecak Purchase color photos at www.BeeNews.com

"Even if I don't succeed at all of my goals, I'm going to try my best so that next year I can fulfill the goals I don't for this year," Amherst Middle School seventh- grader Melanie Franco wrote in her entry for the Perry's Ice Cream Ride-N-Stride for Success contest.

Melanie's ambitious essay, detailing how she planned to reach her personal best during the school year, placed her third in Perry's contest.

She won an ice cream party with her school class.
Her goals included:

  Getting straight As.

  Trying for perfect attendance

  Getting in shape for softball season;

  Riding the bus more often to reduce pollution;

  Doing more community service work;

  Becoming a better singer.

Perry's asked students to describe what they would do during the school year to reach their personal best. More than 2,000 students from Rochester, Buffalo and Syracuse entered the contest.