Fifth-grader Brooke Panfil is a hardworking pupil at Homeville Elementary School in West Mifflin, but she also likes to play.

She entered a competition sponsored by the Nickelodeon cable television channel and won a prize, $5,000, which must be spent on improving play activities at her school.

The competition required her to write about the importance of play. The contest was part of the channel's Let's Just Play promotion, which encourages healthy and active lifestyles for children and families.

On one October afternoon last year, the channel went dark for three hours to encourage children to play.

In her winning essay, Brooke said exercise was important for people and that all kids liked to play. She said she liked to help out the community.

Brooke likes to watch "SpongeBob SquarePants" on the station, where she heard about the contest and entered. She was notified by letter of her win.

Cathy Brundage, assistant principal of Homeville, said the school had not decided what it would spend the money on, but expected the funded improvement to be done by spring.

"We were extremely excited and shocked" to hear about the prize money, Mrs. Brundage said.

"Writing is an important part of our curriculum," she said. "We're pretty proud of her. We applauded her and made her feel special at one of our assemblies.''

"The whole school was excited," said Brooke's mother, Chris Chiponis, the school nurse.

Brooke, who wants to be a veterinarian, said all her friends were excited for her and that she couldn't wait to see what play equipment would be added to the school.