Murriel Page and Gilbert Arenas joined one of last year's winners, Ashley Johnson, to help open her school year. Mystics Photos

The Washington Mystics and Washington Wizards have announced the winners of the Read to Achieve Back to School with the Mystics and Wizards Essay Contest. Katheryn Cunha, Tiana Hakimzadeh and Ottavia Fletcher will each ride back to school in a limousine with players from the Mystics and the Wizards.

“For the second straight year we were overwhelmed by the amount of outstanding essays sent to us for this wonderful contest,” said Mystics Senior Vice President of Business and Basketball Operations. “We hope that the students enjoy their ride to school with the Wizards and Mystics players, and we thank them for taking time out of their relaxing summer vacation to write such thoughtful essays.”

One student will be picked up from their home on each day from September 8 – 10, and along with two of their friends, will be accompanied by one Mystics player and one Wizards player. Each winner will receive a backpack full of school supplies, and will be transported to school via limousine.

The contest was open to students entering the 7th, 8th or 9th grade during the 2004-05 school year. Students were asked to list three characteristics that they learned in athletics and to describe how they apply to their everyday life. Each student who submitted an essay will receive two tickets to a 2004 Mystics game and a 2004-2005 Wizards game.

Katheryn Cunha, Alexandria, VA	Mark Twain Middle School
Tiana Hakimzadeh, Potomac, MD	Walter Johnson High School
Ottavia Fletcher, Washington, DC	R.H. Terrell Junior High School