Keeping with our mission to connect, inform and inspire, The Econ Club 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 invests in our future leaders’ careers.

Through our members’ unwavering support of this worthwhile endeavor, we continue to provide successful programs year after year!

2022-23 ESSAY COMMITTEE AND JUDGES*
Chip George, Comfort Research & Essay Committee Chair
Bill Coderre, Junior Achievement
Danielle DeWitt,  Spectrum
Brian Greenleaf, Sabo PR
Leslie Muller, Seidman, GVSU
*The Judges receive the essays anonymously for the selection process

2022-2023 HIGH SCHOOL ESSAY CONTEST TOPIC:

As Water Scarcity Impacts Human Sustainability, What Responsibility does Michigan (and the Other Great Lakes Basin States) Have to the Rest of the Country?

  • 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)

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. We feel strongly that this is a program worthy of your support and ask that you make a contribution to the foundation which will assist in the furtherance of this project. Following are the categories for donations to support the contest and the student awards of over $11,000.

Donor Benefits

  • Acknowledgment on our website
  • Recognition at the Econ Club luncheon and awards program on April 17, 2023
  • Logo displayed at the Patron* level
  • Company name listed at Donor and Contributor levels

Patron: $1000

Donate

Donor: $500

Donate

Contributor: $250

Donate

You may send a check paid to The Grand Rapids Economic Club Charitable Foundation or pay by credit card via our online form. We are accepting donations until February 1, 2023.

Essay Contest Sponsors

PATRON:

Tom & Laurie Welch 

DONOR:

Better Business Bureau Serving West MI
Jerry and Suzanne Callahan
Comfort Research
Tina Freese Decker
Paul T. Doyle
Grand Valley State University
Jeff and Debra Maddox
Joe & Kristin Ponstein
Reagan Marketing + Design, LLC
Robert W. Roth

CONTRIBUTOR:

1 Bold Step, LLC 
Advantage Benefits Group 
Kipp and Meredith Bronk
Bill and Cheryl Coderre
Girl Scouts of MI Shore to Shore
J.C. & Tammy Huizenga
Ping & Tim Liang
Tim & Karen O’Donovan
Stewart Ponitz Group
Watkins, Ross &Co.

The Annual Essay Contest Has Had:

Essay Contest Award Photo Gallery

View Photos

Thank You Essay Contest Partners!