Jesus Sabiel Garcia, a student at East Chapel Hill High School, was named the ninth-grade winner in Olive Garden’s Pasta Tales essay contest.

The restaurant chain’s contest asked students in first through 12th grades to answer the question: “If you were given $5,000 to support education in your local community, how would you use it and why?” In his essay, Jesus proposed a robotics program, saying it would provide a hands-on approach to teach practical skills and problem-solving to students of all ages.

As a grade-level winner, Jesus received a $500 savings bond and a dinner with his family at a local Olive Garden.