Student's essay being sent directly to Pope Francis

WEST CHESTER, Pa. (WPVI) -- It's a big day for a Chester County seventh grader, whose winning essay is being sent to the Vatican - and Pope Francis.

Raquel Lacusky is a student at Saint Agnes School in West Chester.

She was recently named the winner of the national 2014 Maryknoll Student Essay Contest, in which she had to write a letter to the Holy Father.

The requirement? To tell the pope 'how you, or young people you know, have courage, go forward and make noise to build a better world.'

She writes: "It is important that children and teenagers follow in Jesus' footsteps and strive for a better future."