WEST IRON COUNTY Middle School’s three winners in the America & Me Essay Contest — from left are Nickalas Perlongo, Seth Oberlin and Kinsley Economy. Perlongo’s essay will be entered in the statewide contest.

IRON RIVER — Three students from West Iron County Middle School in Iron River have been named local winners in the 55th-annual America & Me Essay Contest, sponsored by Farm Bureau Insurance.

The students who earned first, second and third place awards for their school are Nickalas Perlongo, Seth Oberlin and Kinsley Economy. All three received award certificates for their achievement.

As the school’s first-place winner, Perlongo’s name will also be engraved on a plaque for permanent display at the school.

Perlongo’s 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 $1,055.

Farm Bureau Insurance will also present each top 10 statewide school with a $1,055 check, along with an addition $555 if the school was sponsored by a Farm Bureau Insurance agent.

The annual America & Me Essay Contest Awards Day is scheduled for Wednesday, May 29, in Lansing. The top 10 students and their teachers will be invited to participate in the day-long group recognitions.

In the event they are not able to meet in person, students will still receive their awards and recognitions for the achievement.

Several thousand eighth-grade students from nearly 200 Michigan schools participated in the 2023-2024 contest, with the topic “My Personal Michigan Hero.”

A team of finalist judges, including a Michigan government official and sponsoring teachers from last year’s top two statewide winners, will determine the ranking of the top 10 statewide winners this year.

The contest started in 1968 and is open to all Michigan eighth-grade students.