Over the past years the Brainerd Elks submissions for the Annual Essay contest have been a smashing success. We have seen many place at the state level each year and again this year we have tied for the most state winners. Between the grades of 5 through 8 we had submissions in the 6th and 7th grades only. Brainerd and Virginia each had three state winners. Owatonna had two place at the state level and Hutchinson, Red Wing, Dakota County and Mankato each had a single winner at the state level this year.  Our winners came from Forestview Middle School (4) and Pequot Lakes Middle School (2). If you know of a language arts teacher that we could have include this program in the curriculum, please have them contact us. We will find out what the new topic will be for 2025, at the Grand Lodge in Kansas City, in July.