Schools

Eagan Fifth-Grader Runner Up in Father of the Year Essay Contest

Tierra Doss is one of 60 statewide runners up or winners named in the contest, which is sponsored by the Minnesota Twins.

When fifth-grader Tierra Doss is having a rough day, she thinks of one thing: Her father.

"One of his sayings is: 'When you fall, I'll be there to pick you up,'" said Doss, an 11-year-old student at in Eagan,. "It means to me that I shouldn't be afraid of making mistakes, that he'll always be there to support me."

So when Doss was asked to write an essay about her father as part of the Minnesota Twins Father of the Year essay contest, she focused on that catchphrase, and what it meant to her.

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Doss' heartfelt, three-page essay earned her a runner up title in this year's essay contest. She's one of only 60 students recognized as top writers in the contest, which yielded more than 4,100 entries from kids across the state.

Doss started brainstorming for the contest in January, when Red Pine fifth-grade teacher Kate Stoe asked her class to participate in the contest. After writing down ideas for her father-of-the-year essay in her notebook, Doss penned a rough draft, which her teacher edited. Upon finishing the final version, she gave it to Stoe, who submitted all of the essays from her class.

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The subject was an easy one for Doss, who shares a close, loving relationship with her father, Tony Doss. The two love to play basketball, ride rollercoasters at Valleyfair or go shopping together, Doss said.

"He’s really understanding, I can go to him for anything and tell him anything," Doss said. "I even go to him when’s there’s a spider on my wall, because I don’t like spiders."

To surprise her father, Doss downplayed the essay contest. But when she found out she had been selected as a runner up, she called him at work to deliver the news.

“I was actually shocked myself, because I think she spoke about doing essay, but didn't mention it was about her dad," Tony said. "I was so excited, I was at my job walking around like I just won the lottery."

On June 16—the day before Father's Day—all the fathers and students who won or were runners up in the essay contest are invited to a ceremony at the Illusion Theater in downtown Minneapolis. They are also invited to a the Twins game that day, where the father of the year winner will be announced. For Doss, it will be her second time ever attending a Twins game.

While winning the contest is far less important to Tony and Tierra Doss than the relationship they share, the pair is looking forward to some father-daughter bonding time.

“My daughter is very smart, I always knew she was smart and articulate," Tony said. "To see her and how's she just succeeded and succeeded way past what my thoughts were, I was like: 'Man she’s going to be teaching me things."

"He’s my buddy, my friend, my teacher and my trainer, but he is also my father and I love him so much," Doss said.


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