Encouraged by her teacher, Vanessa decided to enter the short story contest with a story about her experience growing up in Canada.
Are "her experience" and "growing up in Canada" in apposition? Is "her experience growing up in Canada" is the same as "her experience of growing up in Canada" ?
If they are not in apposition, I don't understand what kind of relation they are in. If we take "growing" as a present participle, then its subject should be "her experience". But, "her experience is growing" is nonsensical.
EDIT:I corrected the error "from her teacher".