Thomas County Middle School sixth grade student Emma Jones is the third place state winner in the 2016 Georgia National Fair Bear essay contest.  

The annual competition asks students to write a story about an American black bear who lived from 1980-1993 in Middle Georgia near the Georgia National Fairgrounds.  The bear’s path often involved crossing 1-75 where it met its tragic death in 1993.  It was immortalized as the Georgia National Fair’s mascot and has been the subject of their writing competition since 1994.

This year’s topic was “Fair Bear Has Fun on the Farm.”  Students in fourth, fifth, and sixth grade were asked to write a creative story about Fair Bear inviting his class to a field trip on his farm and describe the animals and crops that live and grow there.  

For winning having a third place state winner, TCMS will receive a $75.00 prize.  Jones, who is a student in Leah Stolarik’s language arts class, will receive $50.00, a commemorative fair bear, and an all-expenses paid trip for her family to the Georgia National Fair.  

Caleb Kinnear, a student in Carrie Holland’s class, was also named the system winner for fifth grade.

The winning essays can be found on the Georgia National Fair’s website at http://georgianationalfair.com/fair-bear-writing-competition/.