Pictured from left: Tony Gaideski Farm Bureau Insurance; Kayley Closson and Leslie Zech, Edwardsburg Middle School English; Cayla Haney and Jeff Leslie, principal, Edwardsburg Middle School. Absent is Beth Brady.

Three students from Edwardsburg Middle School have been named local winners in the 43rd annual America & Me Essay Contest.    The three students, who earned the first, second, and third place awards for their school, are Cayla Haney, first; Kayley Closson, second; and Beth Brady, third. All three received award certificates for their achievement. As the school’s first place winner, Cayla’s name will also be engraved on a plaque for permanent display in the school.
Edwardsburg Middle School’s participation in the America & Me Essay Contest was sponsored by Farm Bureau Insurance agent Tony Gaideski of Niles.
Cayla’s first place essay now advances to the state level competition, from which the top 10 essays in Michigan will be selected.  The top 10 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 10 essayists will be honored at a banquet in Lansing, meet with Michigan’s top governmental leaders, and be the 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 10 statewide winners this year.
Several thousand eighth-grade students from more than 400 Michigan schools participated in the 2011-2012 America & Me Essay Contest, which was conducted with the help of Farm Bureau Insurance agents across the state. The topic of the 2011-2012 contest was “My Personal Michigan Hero.”