A local middle school student from Howell put her writing to the test and brought home honors in a statewide essay contest.

8th grader Grace Fyke of Parker Middle School in Howell was named one of 10 winners of the Farm Bureau Insurance of Michigan America and Me Essay Contest. Fyke’s essay won 5th place out of the 3,500 essays that were submitted from nearly 350 schools in the state. On Tuesday, she and her mother attended a ceremony in Lansing that started aboard the Michigan Princess Riverboat before proceeding to the State Capitol Building to meet with Governor Rick Snyder. Fyke received an engraved plaque, $1,000 cash, and a congratulatory letter.

The theme of the contest was “My Personal Michigan Hero,” and Fyke’s essay entitled, The Things I Don’t Say, was about a teacher of her’s who made a strong impact. A link to her award-winning essay can be found below. (MK)