Three students from Beach Middle School were recently named local winners of the 46th annual America and Me Essay Contest, sponsored by Farm Bureau Insurance.
The three students, who earned the first, second, and third place awards for their school, are Olivia Haber, first, Brendan Maguire, second, and Hailey Pattenaude, third. All three received award certificates for their achievement.
Beach Middle School’s participation in the essay contest was sponsored by Farm Bureau Insurance Agent Rick Eder.
Haber’s first place essay now advances to the state level competition, from which the top ten essays in Michigan will be selected. The top ten statewide winners, who will be announced in April, will each receive a plaque, a medallion, and a cash award of $1,000.
In addition, the top ten essayists will be honored at a banquet in Lansing, meet with Michigan’s top governmental leaders, and be featured guests at a Lansing Lugnuts minor league baseball game dedicated in their honor.
A team of finalist judges that includes a top Michigan government official and the sponsoring teachers of last year’s top two statewide winners will determine the ranking of the top ten statewide winners this year.
Several thousand eighth grade students from over 400 Michigan schools participated in the 2014-15 America and Me Essay Contest, which was conducted with the help of Farm Bureau Insurance agents across the state. The topic of this year’s contest was “My Personal Michigan Hero.”
Started in 1968 and open to all Michigan eighth grade students, the contest encourages Michigan youngsters to explore the greatness of America and its people. As sponsor of the contest, Farm Bureau Insurance has earned 11 national awards from the Freedom Foundation at Valley Forge.
(Publisher’s note: Chelsea Update will run all three winning essays on successive days beginning tomorrow and ending with the winning essay on Sunday.)
