GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – The Grand Rapids Griffins and Farm Bureau Insurance on Friday announced the three local schools that have been chosen as finalists in their fourth 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, Ottawa and Allegan Counties, and chose William C. Abney Academy, Hope Academy of West Michigan and Grand Rapids Christian School – Evergreen Campus as this year’s finalists.

As part of the final selection process, each of these three schools will receive a site visit next week. 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 up to $15,000. Additionally, the two runner-up schools will each receive $250 toward upgrading their current media rooms.

The previous winners of the Media Room Makeover contest were New Branches Charter Academy (2017), Ken-O-Sha Park Elementary School (2016) and the Grand Rapids Child Discovery Center (2015).

Led by project contractor Mike Case of Case Construction, several partners have signed on to provide assistance with the makeover as needed, including electrical by CS Erickson, which is headed by Leland Winter; painter Tyler Sprague; Seven’s Paint; and Scholastic Book Fairs. In addition, Kent ISD, Ottawa Area ISD, Grand Rapids Public Schools, 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, Ottawa and Allegan Counties, as well as the Thornapple-Kellogg district in Barry County (which is served by Kent ISD).

Farm Bureau Insurance of Michigan, in its fourth 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 more than 500,000 Michigan policyholders.