Cassville student places second in national essay contest

A 15-year-old Cassville High School student placed second in a national essay contest. The theme for this year’s America’s Field Trip essay competition was “What does America mean to you?” and 15-year-old Willow Ackerman found her inspiration as she looked to the town around her. She wrote about community and feeling welcome. The prize for finishing second was a $500 check.