MADISON – Bree Stalsberg, a fourth-grade student from Fennimore, and Michael Christensen, a fifth-grade student from Colfax, have been selected as state winners in the Wisconsin Ag in the Classroom contest. Wisconsin fourth and fifth graders were asked to write a 500-word essay with the theme, “You’re Gonna Need Milk for That – Wisconsin Dairy support our bodies, communities and economy.” Bree is the winner of the fourth-grade contest. Her teacher is Emily Kamps at Fennimore Elementary School in Grant County. Michael is the winner of the fifth-grade contest. His teacher is Suzanne Blomberg at Colfax Elementary School in Dunn County. Each year the Wisconsin Farm Bureau’s Ag in the Classroom program hosts an essay contest to engage students in writing, reading and research through the context of food and agriculture. Essays were judged on content, grade-appropriate writing benchmarks, and creativity. This contest is open to all fourth and fifth grade students across the state. More than 1,800 students wrote essays for the competition, which is sponsored by Culvers, Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin, WE Energies and the Wisconsin Farm Bureau Foundation. Essay entries were judged at the county, district and state levels – with stiff competition in each division. Nine district winners were named state finalists and received a prize package including a medal, Wisconsin dairy books, admission to the Farm Wisconsin Discovery Center and Culver’s prize pack. The state winner also received a plaque and prizes valued at more than $250.
This year’s fourth-grade finalists were:
District 1 – Marlena Shera, Saint Frances Cabrini, Washington County
District 2 – Layla Siegel, Monticello Elementary, Green County
District 3 – Bree Stalsberg, Fennimore Elementary, Grant County
District 4 – Abby Ruff, Alma Elementary, Buffalo County
District 5 – Joey Visger, Tri-County Elementary, Waushara County
District 6 – Julia Pielhop, Holy Family Catholic School, Calumet County
District 7 – Preston Braun, St. James Lutheran School, Shawano County
District 8 – Haley Penza, Almond Bancroft Elementary, Portage County
District 9 – Penelope Heiniger, Prescott Intermediate School, Pierce County
This year’s fifth-grade finalists were:
District 1 – Miller Kozlowski, Miller Elementary, Washington County
District 2 – Evelyn Cooley, Kegonsa Elementary, Dane County
District 3 – Tara Lenzendorf, Seneca Elementary, Crawford County
District 4 – Kailey Knight, St. Boniface Catholic School, Buffalo County
District 5 – Alyssandra Hodorff, Faith Lutheran School, Fond du Lac County
District 6 – Stella Jauquet, Luxemburg-Casco Intermediate, Kewaunee County
District 7 – Clayton Roberts, New London Intermediate School, Waupaca County
District 8 – No finalist named
District 9 – Michael Christensen, Colfax Elementary, Dunn County
Farm Bureau’s Ag in the Classroom program provides teachers and K-12 students with an understanding of how their food is produced. The program seeks to work within existing curricula to provide basic information on our nation’s largest industry: agriculture. Wisconsin’s Ag in the Classroom program is carried out by a network of local educators, volunteers and representatives from agricultural organizations and businesses. The goal of the program is to help students gain a greater awareness of the role of agriculture in the economy and society, so that they may become citizens who support wise agricultural policies.
