Keeping with our mission to connect, inform and inspire, The Economic Club of Grand Rapids works with The Seidman College of Business, Grand Valley State University each year to sponsor a high school economic essay contest. This contest helps bring interest to the relevant topics of economics to our community’s high school students as well as investment in our future leaders’ careers.
The Grand Rapids Economic Club Charitable Foundation, a non-profit charitable foundation instituted in 1994, was established to finance the awards for the contest winners and support the Scholarship Fund. Through our members’ unwavering support of this worthwhile endeavor, we continue to provide successful programs year after year!
45th ANNUAL ESSAY CONTEST
2023-2024 HIGH SCHOOL ESSAY CONTEST TOPIC:
How Might AI Change the Workforce in the Future?
Analyze the economic, social, and ethical considerations that employers and employees need to prepare for as AI becomes more accessible.
AWARDS ARE AS FOLLOWS:
- FIRST PLACE – $3,000 + YMCA Teen Membership
- SECOND PLACE – $2,000 + YMCA Teen Membership
- THIRD PLACE – $1,000 + YMCA Teen Membership
- FOURTH PLACE – $500 each (10 winners)
2023-24 ESSAY COMMITTEE AND JUDGES*
Randy Thelen, The Right Place & Essay Committee Chair
Troy Baker, Better Business Bureau
Bill Coderre, Junior Achievement
Danielle DeWitt, Corewell Health
Leslie Muller, Seidman, GVSU
*The Judges receive the essays anonymously for the selection process
2024 Essay Contest Winners
Ava Brown, City High Middle School (3rd Place)
Xuanyu Dong, Cranbrook Kingswood School
Abigail Duff, Sparta High School
Victoria Korte, Catholic Central High School (1st Place)
Anish Kulkarni, City High Middle School
Krishna Mano, City High Middle School (2nd Place)
Alex Mulder, Hudsonville High School
Yaeslin Muñoz, Catholic Central High School
Brendan Myers, Catholic Central High School
Emily Parris, City High Middle School
Chloe Pluger, South Christian High School
Braden Riha, Jenison High School
Keegan Riha, Jenison High School
45th ANNUAL ESSAY CONTEST SPONSORS
GOLD:
Joe Murphy
Joe & Kristin Ponstein
SILVER:
Dan & Pam DeVos Foundation
Gary & Lorna Schultz
Jerry and Suzanne Callahan
TalentFirst
Tina Freese Decker
BRONZE:
Baxter Community Center
Calvin University School of Business
Christian Veenstra
Doug & Alix Thompson
Drew & Allison Miller
HR Collaborative
Ping & Tim Liang
Scott & Renee Hill
Timothy and Karen O’Donovan
William & Cheryl Coderre
The Annual Essay Contest Has Had:
Essay Contest Award Photo Gallery
Thank You Essay Contest Partners!
