A testament to her fantastic work ethic and passion for writing, Year 10 student Alec Fernandez's exceptional creative writing essay successfully won her the experience of a lifetime at the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom.

Following in the footsteps of the 2021/22 scholarship winner Rachel Koshy, another St Peter’s student, Alec Fernandez, embraced the challenge by participating in the Immerse Education essay competition last year.

This annual competition offers the opportunity for students aged 13-18 to submit essays on a topic of their choice. The prize includes either a full or partial scholarship to a residential program at Oxford, Cambridge, London, or Sydney or the option to enrol in one of Immerse Education's online courses.

As one of this year's partial scholarship winners, Alec secured a 50% scholarship and decided to attend one of the summer school programmes available in the United Kingdom during July. Immersed in Oxford's life, Alec resided at the University’s Lady Margaret Hall, relishing two weeks of Ivy League studies, accommodation, and meals while also exploring local sites and participating in social activities with fellow course members.

“I hadn’t entered to win; I just wanted an excuse to write an essay about something I enjoyed. I chose the creative writing prompt because that's a subject I’m passionate about, and that was the subject I ended up taking for the course” Alec Fernandez.

Competition entries can be submitted under various categories in response to preset questions about a chosen subject. With over twenty questions to choose from, participants have plenty of scope to write about subjects they are passionate about.

Aside from the learning, Alec speaks about the people she shared her experiences with, saying;

“The most valuable part of this experience for me was the people. The course, content, and activities were amazing, but it was the people that sold it for me. I've never felt so comfortable in an environment then I did at Oxford...” Alec Fernandez

For the full account of Alec’s experience and to read the winning essay entry - click here.