America & Me Essay Contest Kicks Off 57th Year

Date Posted: August 5, 2025

Farm Bureau Insurance of Michigan is once again sponsoring its annual America & Me Essay Contest — celebrating its 57th year.

This contest encourages young people to write about their Michigan heroes, especially those individuals who have made a difference in their lives. Throughout the duration of this competition, more than 500,000 eighth graders from hundreds of Michigan schools have participated.

This year's contest, held September 2025 through Nov. 7th, will again ask students to write while considering the topic "My Personal Michigan Hero.”

ELIGIBILITY: Rules to sign up for this year’s essay contest will be sent to schools throughout Michigan in late August. The contest is open to any eighth grade student in Michigan enrolled in a public or private school, and offers a variety of awards on the local and statewide levels. Each school can submit up to 10 essays and the student essays must be submitted by a school.

AWARDS: The first place entry from each school will be entered into the statewide competition from which the top ten essays in the state will be chosen. Each top ten statewide winner will receive $1,000, another $1,000 for the school they attend, and another $500 for their school if the school is sponsored by a Farm Bureau Insurance agent.

A special day will be planned to celebrate the top ten winners in the spring of 2026. Each of the top ten winners are encouraged to bring two adults and a teacher to the awards celebration.

As sponsor of the contest, Farm Bureau Insurance has earned 11 national awards from the Freedoms Foundation at Valley Forge.

To learn more about the 57th contest year, click here or contact Cale Sauter at 517-391-5001 or at [email protected]. Farm Bureau Insurance Agents and Michigan 8th Grade Teachers may also register at the America & Me contest page (or using the QR in the rules brochure linked below) through October 24th, 2025.

All Registration and essay submission will be done through this site.