MARQUETTE — High school seniors who reside and attend school in the Upper Peninsula who plan to continue their education in a health care-related field are eligible to participate in the sixth-annual National Rural Health Day Essay Contest.

Northern Michigan University’s Center for Rural Health is partnering with Michigan’s State Office of Rural Health to make this possible. The submission deadline is Thursday.

Students’ essays should equate to 500 words minimum or 1,000 words maximum, double spaced. The essay topic to be addressed is “Identifying two challenges people encounter regarding preventative health care and explaining two solutions for overcoming these challenges.” Use of generative A.I. is strictly prohibited.

Prizes will be awarded to the top three finishers in the three U.P. regions: Eastern, Central and Western. First place is $500, $250 for second and $100 for third.

“We’re grateful to the Literacy Legacy Fund of Michigan and the Michigan Center for Rural Health for continuing to sponsor the National Rural Health Day Essay Contest,” said Elise Bur, director of NMU’s Center for Rural Health. “The contest has been a great way to share rural health information and gather insight from future healthcare leaders.”

The contest serves as a torch that shines on particular health-related topics that impact the health and well-being of Upper Peninsula residents. Future college students are encouraged to think and write about possible solutions and ideas from their perspective. NMU English education students also play a hand in the project by reviewing and scoring essays.

Winners will be notified Nov. 20 on National Rural Health Day.

The guidelines and submission link can be found at: https://nmu.edu/ruralhealth/essay-contest.