Florida Farm to School Essay Contest

Whether you have an interest in agriculture, are passionate about nutrition or simply love to write, we invite you to enter the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) Division of Food, Nutrition and Wellness’s (FNW) first-ever Florida Farm to School Essay Contest. This Farm to School Month, submit an original essay responding to one of our three topics – each designed to celebrate and reflect on the tremendous contributions of Florida farmers and the benefits of eating locally grown foods. We will choose three winners to receive up to $1,500 in college funding and meet Florida’s Agricultural Commissioner Wilton Simpson, along with additional prizes outlined below. Scholarship Details • Three winners will be selected to receive up to $1,500. • Winners will have the opportunity to meet Florida’s Agricultural Commissioner Wilton Simpson. • Open to Florida high school students in grades 9-12. Eligibility Criteria • Florida high school students in grades 9-12. • Can be public, private, charter schools, virtual, or home-school programs. • Essays must be original, with a word count between 500 and 800 words. • Essays must not include plagiarism or use of artificial intelligence (AI). Application Process 1. Write an original essay of 500-800 words on one of the provided topics. 2. Submit your essay by November 15th, at 11:59 pm EST, using the online submission form. 3. Include a short personal statement with your entry. Each participant must select and respond to only one of the three possible topics. Please choose the topic that best aligns with your interests and ideas and focus on that for your submission. You will be asked to identify which topic you responded to in your essay when completing the Entry Form. Please also note, each student is only allowed to submit one essay for consideration.