Thousand Oaks eighthgrader Rhen Bass II has been selected a national winner in the "Young Authors" writing competition sponsored by the international Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. He was recently given a commendation from the Thousand Oaks City Council.

More than 10,000 children across the U.S. and from the Caribbean Islands submitted original articles in the competition. Rhen's story was included along with 21 other winning essays in the hardback book "The Spirit Within, Voices of Young Authors Volume 2."

For his essay, "My Dad- The Person I Admire Most," Rhen was presented a plaque from Alpha Kappa Alpha's national president. He's also received recognition during the sorority's national convention and back at home in Thousand Oaks.

The 13-year-old writer was included in a book signing during the national convention of 14,000 women in Detroit in July.

"Everywhere I went people would stop me and congratulate me," said Rhen.

The Xi Kappa Omega Chapter of AKA sorority, whose membership comes primarily from Ventura County, sponsored Rhen after he participated in their Young Author's writing workshop in Oxnard. He was in sixth grade when he attended the two-hour Saturday sessions over four weekends.

In the NBA or a CPA

"When I first told him I wanted him to attend the workshop, he didn't want to go, but I insisted because I wanted him to learn additional writing strategies to last him a lifetime," said Rhen's mother, Patricia, an educator and Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority member.

As a result of the workshop Rhen received an unexpected and memorable trip to Detroit with his parents and 16-year-old sister, Terri.

His winning topic caught his father, Rhen Bass Sr., by surprise.

"I feel good. It caught me off guard that he would look up at me more than athletes or movie stars," Bass said.

The young writer almost chose Magic Johnson as his subject, but he just kept thinking about how great his father was and chose to write 995 words about his dad instead, Rhen said.

"My dad is such a great person to me," said Rhen.

In his essay Rhen wrote: "I feel blessed to have someone who will always love me, encourage me and be my best friend. He was there when I was born, there when I was sick, and he is someone who will always love me. Because of all these reasons, I can truly say the person who I most admire is my dad."

Rhen is still deciding what he wants to be when he grows up.

"I want to either be in the NBA or be a CPA like my dad," Rhen said.