Columbus student wins Beautiful Minds Challenge - WTVM.com-Columbus, GA News Weather & Sports

Columbus student wins Beautiful Minds Challenge

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COLUMBUS, GA (WTVM) -

A local ninth grader at connections academy, Nya Cooks, won first place in the National Marlboro College Beautiful Minds Challenge.

The goal of the contest was to create something that was beautiful and explain why. Cooks made a dress from leaves she found in her neighborhood, and it took almost three months to do.

Cooks explains what it means to her to have won this competition.

"It means I reached a goal in my life and it makes me feel really successful, and I feel very excited about it, so I'm overjoyed!" Cooks said.

The grand prize was a $1,000 scholarship and a trip to Malboro College in Vermont. Cooks said she plans to use this money to help her with her goal to attend law school one day.

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