Warrenville fifth-grade student Marissa Thompson knows how to pen a story. She recently won an essay contest sponsored by the Naperville Area Humane Society and will collect an iPod Nano and an iTunes gift card as her prize. Marissa’s mom, Sylvia, told her about the contest when she saw a poster advertising the writing opportunity at the Warrenville Library, where she works.

Terri Hancock, humane education manager at NAHS, said the competition was really tough.

“We received 175 entries, and we were shocked,” she said. “We thought maybe we would receive essays from a couple of classrooms, but this was a really great response.”

Hancock said they originally were going to choose just one winner, but since they had so many entries, they awarded prizes to a winner from each grade. Entries came from students in Naperville, Woodridge, Oswego, Yorkville, Wheaton and Warrenville.

The poster depicted a lonely-looking dog that was chained up. Children in grades three to five were invited to finish the story that started this way: A dog named Duke was chained and left alone, and a raccoon came by with a box stuck on his head. The raccoon asked Duke for help. Then Duke helped the raccoon and asked for help in return.

Aspiring writers had to finish the story by adding how the raccoon helped Duke, how Duke feels after being set free and what happens next.

Since Marissa is an avid reader and writer, she decided to finish the intriguing story. In her winning version, Duke removes the box from the head of the raccoon, who creatively helps him in return. He uses a rock to break the rusty chain, freeing Duke. He runs away and almost gets hit by a car. The people jump out of the vehicle and decide to keep Duke as their pet.

Hancock described Marissa’s essay as “wonderful and well-written.”

Marissa wrote two different endings and turned in the version she preferred. Like a true writer, she procrastinated and almost didn’t get the story turned in by the deadline.

“My mom drove me to the Humane Society, and when we arrived, the doors were locked,” she said. “I thought I wouldn’t be able to hand it in. We were looking through the glass doors and saw that someone was still in the building. My mom called on her cell phone and, luckily, someone came to the door and took my essay.”

It was a close call for Marissa.

“I was so excited and proud of her,” said mom Sylvia. “She loves to write and has filled many notebooks with her stories and illustrations.”

The 11-year-old, who attends Bower Elementary School in Warrenville, told her teacher, Chaz Leckron, about the winning essay. He was proud of her accomplishment and wants her to read the essay to the class.

Hancock said it was the first year they held an essay contest, and they will repeat it next year.

“It was a way to be creative and write, but it also helped the children figure out a solution to a problem and maybe learn in some way to empathize and sympathize,” she said. “It was a good opportunity to learn while writing.”

Wal-Mart donated a portion of the funds to help purchase the iPod Nano prizes.

Marissa also has created an online show with her friends, “Da Sheena and Shana Show.” WetPaint.com is a free Wiki Web site giving imaginative people the opportunity to create videos and stories as a group or alone.

“We know what’s appropriate and good, so we just keep it silly and fun,” Marissa said.

She is the chief scriptwriter of the four-character show: Sheena is glamorous and likes to spend money, Shana is a tomboy and loves sports, Shula is a bubbly cheerleader type, and Sheila is a book-loving nerd. Marissa collaborates on the show with her real-life friends, Lauren, Jenny and Marisa-OK.

When Marissa found out she was an essay winner, she was surprised and excited.

“Oh my gosh, I was really happy,” she said. “This has been a really lucky week because I also won a bike at the Bike Rodeo.”

All three winning essays can be read online at the Humane Society Web site at www.napervillehumanesociety.org.