Brooklyn Ligda, a Mars Area School District fourth-grader, was recognized before the Pittsburgh Penguins home game Sunday at PPG Paints Arena.

PITTSBURGH — Mars Area Elementary School fourth-grader Brooklyn Ligda was recognized on the ice Sunday prior to the Pittsburgh Penguins-Florida Panthers game at PPG Paints Arena.

Brooklyn was selected as a winner of the Penguins Junior Starter Contest.

The annual contest is open to youth hockey players ages 8-12 in Pennsylvania, Ohio, West Virginia and Maryland. Players are asked to submit a brief essay explaining how they demonstrate leadership, teamwork, hard work, dedication, community involvement, friendship or respect.

Only 11 overall winners are selected.

Brooklyn received two tickets to Sunday’s Pengguin game, a $25 Dick’s Sporting Goods gift card, lanyard and water bottle and watched pre-game warm-ups from ice level.

She skated on to the ice to stand next to the Penguins during the singing of the national anthem.

Brooklyn plays for the Penguins Elite 10U girls hockey team and on the Beaver Badgers Squirt A Major 1 youth team. She attended a U.S. Women’s Hockey Team Clinic at PPG Paints Arena.

Her essay detailed her community involvement, dedication and respect as well as her leadership skills and the importance of being a positive teammate and good friend.