DOWAGIAC — An essay contest encouraging Michigan’s eighth-graders to explore America and its people recently announced three local winners.

On Tuesday, three students from Dowagiac Middle School were named the local winners in the 51st annual America & Me Essay Contest. The essay contest started in 1968 and is sponsored by Farm Bureau Insurance.

Addison Ferguson earned first place in the contest. Ferguson’s name will be engraved on a plaque on permanent display in the middle school to honor her achievement. Cayden Dorman took second place, and Connor Roberts’ essay took third place. Each of the three essayists was awarded certifications for their pieces.

Dowagiac Middle School’s participation in the America & Me Essay Contest is sponsored by Farm Bureau Insurance agent Jeff Neumann, of Dowagiac.

“I’ve been doing it for 30 years,” Neumann said of sponsoring the local students’ participation. “I think it’s a good public relations thing that Farm Bureau Insurance does, and anything that encourages academics is a good thing in my book.”

Ferguson’s first-place essay will now advance to the state level competition. At the state level, 10 essays from Michigan will be selected. Statewide winners will be announced in April and will receive a plaque, medallion and cash award of $1,000.

A banquet for the top 10 essayists will be hosted in Lansing, where the winners will meet Michigan government leaders and be featured guests at a Lansing Lugnuts minor league baseball game.

Each top 10 statewide schools would receive a $1,000 check, along with an additional $500 check if a Farm Bureau Insurance agent sponsored that school.

Neumann said Ferguson should take pride in advancing to the state level competition with her essay. The topic of the 2019-2020 contest was centered around “My Personal Michigan Hero.”

Most years, Neumann can read through the essays before they get passed on to be judged. He finds reading different students’ perspectives fun.

About 400 middle schools were represented in the America & Me Contest, with several thousand eighth-grade students sending in submissions, according to contest officials.

“I encouraged [Ferguson] that all things are possible,” Neumann said, referencing the state level competition. “We did have a placed winner in the state competition a few years ago from Dowagiac, so that was fun.”

Neumann said he works closely with Dowagiac Middle School teacher Denise Stockwell, who usually has many students participate. She sends over the top 10 essays to Neumann, who passes them along to be judged.

A team of finalist judges, including a Michigan government official as well as sponsoring teacher of last year’s top two statewide essay winners, will decide the ranking of the top 10 essays this year.