GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – The Grand Rapids Griffins and Farm Bureau Insurance on Wednesday announced the three local schools that have been chosen as finalists in their third annual Media Room Makeover contest.

A panel comprised of representatives from the Griffins and Farm Bureau reviewed applications from elementary and middle schools throughout Kent County and selected All Saints Academy in Grand Rapids, New Branches Charter Academy in Grand Rapids and Sparta Middle School as this year’s finalists.

As part of the final selection process, each of these three schools will receive a site visit in the coming weeks. The Griffins and Farm Bureau will then choose the winning school, assist school officials in the makeover of the school’s media room this summer, and host a ribbon-cutting ceremony at the start of the new school year in August or September.

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. In addition, 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).

Several partners have signed on to provide assistance with the makeover as needed, led by project contractor Mike Case of Case Construction. In addition, Kent ISD and the Diocese of Grand Rapids Office of Catholic Schools supported 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 Kent ISD).

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.