BEATRICE - A Beatrice elementary school student has won an international award. 

11-year-old Christian Brown, a fifth grader at Paddock Lane Elementary, was the winner of the Knights of Columbus International Soccer Challenge. On Friday afternoon, Paddock Lane and the Knights of Columbus held an award ceremony honoring Brown. 

Brown won the first leg of the event on September 1, 2022 and continued to qualify and win the state of Nebraska in his 11-year-old age division. Scores were then sent in from all Knights of Columbus jurisdictions throughout the world that held soccer challenges and Brown became the international winner. 

In Nebraska, Brown's score of 365 was the highest of all girls and boys in the 9-14 year age range. The score of 365 was 45 better than the second place score of 320.