GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – For the third consecutive year, the Grand Rapids Griffins and Farm Bureau Insurance will provide a $15,000 media room makeover for one deserving elementary or middle school in Kent County or the Thornapple-Kellogg district.

The third annual Media Room Makeover contest offers eligible schools the opportunity to submit their applications online between now and April 1, 2017 at griffinshockey.com/mediaroommakeover, simply by answering the question “Why does your school need a media room makeover?” and providing a photo of their existing media room, computer lab or library. One application may be submitted for each school, either by its principal or the principal’s designee.

Depending on the winning school’s needs, its media room makeover could consist of a variety of new resources such as computer hardware, software, books, furniture, paint, carpet and light construction, with a value of approximately $15,000.

Following the application deadline on April 1, all entries will be reviewed by the Griffins and Farm Bureau Insurance and narrowed to a pool of three finalist schools, each of which will receive a site visit as part of the final selection. The Griffins and Farm Bureau will choose the winning school by April 30, assist school officials in the makeover of the school’s media room this summer, then host a ribbon-cutting ceremony at the start of the new school year in August or September. The two runner-up schools will each receive $250 toward upgrading the amenities of their current media rooms.

The previous winners of the Media Room Makeover contest were Ken-O-Sha Park Elementary School (2016) and the Grand Rapids Child Discovery Center (2015).

"Farm Bureau Insurance is excited to be joining the Grand Rapids Griffins once again for our third annual media room makeover contest," said Vic Verchereau, vice president of marketing. "Farm Bureau firmly believes in taking care of our great state, its communities and people. We are proud and ready to find this year's makeover recipient to continue our journey in bettering local schools and providing hope to students, staff and parents."

Several partners have signed on to provide assistance with the makeover as needed, led by project contractor Mike Case of Case Construction. In addition, the Kent Intermediate School District and the Diocese of Grand Rapids Office of Catholic Schools are supporting the contest by communicating the opportunity to every elementary and middle school principal in Kent County, as well as the Thornapple-Kellogg district in Barry County (which is served by KISD). All eligible schools with a need are encouraged to apply.

Official rules and regulations of the contest are available here.

Farm Bureau Insurance of Michigan, in its third year as a Griffins corporate partner, was founded in 1949 by Michigan farmers who wanted an insurance company that worked as hard as they did. Those values still guide the company today and are a big reason why they are known as Michigan’s Insurance Company, dedicated to protecting the farms, families, and businesses of this great state. Farm Bureau Insurance agents across Michigan provide a full range of insurance services—life, home, auto, farm, business, retirement, Lake Estate®, and more—protecting nearly 500,000 Michigan policyholders.