Seventeen young writers were named state finalists in the Wisconsin Agriculture in the Classroom Essay Contest. Wisconsin fourth and fifth graders were asked to author an essay with the theme ‘A Wisconsin Tree and Me: How Trees Grow Food and Fiber’ as part of the annual essay contest that focuses on food and agriculture. The contest is open to all fourth and fifth grade students across the state, with each grade level judged as its own division.
Over 1,500 students from 114 schools authored essays for the competition. County winners in both fourth and fifth grade moved on to their respective district levels and these district winning essays are now vying for the title of state winner. In support of this contest, 51 county Farm Bureaus donated over $13,000 in books and educational resources to local schools and libraries across Wisconsin.
The 18 district winners received a prize package including a medal, certificate and a custom laptop backpack. This year’s state essay contest finalists are:
Fourth-Grade State Finalists
- District 1: Erik Schnellbaecher – Bethlehem Lutheran, Germantown
- District 2: Hailey Lindner – Fall River Elementary School, Fall River
- District 3: Annabelle Winkers – Fennimore Elementary School, Fennimore
- District 4: Emma Kahrs – St. Paul Ev. Lutheran, Tomah
- District 5: Eli Buchholz – Christ Alone Lutheran Academy, Princeton
- District 6: Robynn Lindner – Chilton Area Catholic School, Chilton
- District 8: Katelyn Benedict – Ed Heuer Elementary, Port Edwards
- District 9: Cora Wood – Spring Valley Elementary, Spring Valley
Fifth-Grade State Finalists
- District 1: Cadence Filer – West Elementary, Jefferson
- District 2: Adalyn Howe – Lodi Elementary, Lodi
- District 3: Lilian Diedrich – Shullsburg Elementary School, Shullsburg
- District 4: Drew Brantner – Pepin Elementary, Pepin
- District 5: Henry Schaefer – Brandon Elementary, Brandon
- District 6: Ireland Rautmann – Divine Savior School, Kiel
- District 7: Auroara Reader Riley – Waupaca Middle School, Waupaca
- District 8: Delaney Darton – Home School Student, Three Lakes
- District 9: Annabelle Heitkamp – Colfax Elementary School, Colfax
The state winners will be announced in early June and receive their awards at the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection board meeting to be held July 10, 2025. State winners will receive a cash prize provided through the generous support of the Wisconsin Farm Bureau Foundation and leading partners Compeer Financial, Wisconsin Soybean Marketing Board and AgCountry Financial.
