For the Star-News

KEWAUNEE COUNTY – Luxemburg-Casco Intermediate student Stella Jauquet was named a finalist in this year’s Wisconsin Ag in the Classroom contest.

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 are judged on content, grade-appropriate writing benchmarks, and creativity.

Through this year’s program, 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.”

More than 1,800 students wrote essays for the competition.

Essay entries were judged at the county, district and state levels and 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.

Fourth-grade finalists

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

Fifth-grade finalists

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

State winners were Bree Stalsberg and Michael Christensen.

Farm Bureau’s Ag in the Classroom program provides teachers and K-12 students with an understanding of how their food is produced.