Courtesy photo The winners of the America & Me Hero Essay Contest for Gladstone posed for a photo recently. From left to right, Farm Bureau Insurance Agency & Sponsor Rick Jensen, third place winner Abigail Wagner, second place winner Kristy Karl, first place winner Alexa Wetthuhn, and Gladstone English teacher Ashley Hughes are shown.

GLADSTONE — Three students from Gladstone Middle School in Gladstone have been named local winners in the 52nd annual America & Me Essay Contest, sponsored by Farm Bureau Insurance.

The three students, who earned the first, second, and third place awards for their school, are Alexa Wetthuhn, first; Abigail Wagner, second; and Kristi Karl, third. All three received award certificates for their achievement. As the school’s first place winner, Wetthuhn’s name will also be engraved on a plaque for permanent display in the school. Gladstone Middle School’s participation in the America & Me Essay Contest was sponsored by Farm Bureau Insurance agent Rick Jensen of Escanaba.

Wetthuhn’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, each top ten statewide school will receive a $1,000 check, along with an additional $500 if the school was sponsored by a Farm Bureau Insurance agent.

Due to the current pandemic affecting in-person events, there will not be a scheduled awards day this year. The top ten students and their teachers will still be notified and receive awards — just not in person at the traditional event. Organizers are certain the awards and recognitions the winners will receive will still serve as an exciting honor for their commendable achievement.

Several thousand eighth grade students from nearly 200 Michigan schools participated in the 2020 – 2021 America & Me Essay Contest, which was conducted with the help of Farm Bureau Insurance agents across the state. The topic of the 2020 – 2021 contest was “My Personal Michigan Hero.”

A team of finalist judges, including a top Michigan government official as well as the sponsoring teachers of last year’s top two statewide winners, will determine the ranking of the top ten statewide winners this year.

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 Freedoms Foundation at Valley Forge.