Volunteers Power a Family Tradition

Meet Mia Marie Rupe, a 5th-grade student at August Independent School in Bracken County, Kentucky. Her award-winning essay about her grandfather, Allen Walker, was selected from hundreds of entries across the state.

AARP Kentucky

The Kentucky Retired Teachers Association/AARP Kentucky Grandparent Essay Contest proudly marked its 25th year, continuing a cherished statewide tradition. The contest was launched in 2001 by an AARP Kentucky Executive Council volunteer member, Nelda Barnett of Owensboro.

Mia received a $500 award and a commemorative plaque; Papa Allen Clark received a commemorative AARP award; and Ms. Miller received $500 to purchase teaching materials. Volunteers and staff from KRTA and AARP Kentucky work for many months to coordinate and select the finalists. In 2026, Mia’s winning essay was selected from 162 entries submitted by 77 counties.

Watch Mia presenting her winning essay (video) online, AARP Kentucky Facebook, AARP Kentucky Facebook or AARP Kentucky YouTube: AARP Kentucky YouTube

Augusta Independent 5th-grade teacher Megan Miller supported her students as they wrote about their grandparents. She encouraged Mia to write about what makes her grandfather so special in her life. “Thank you so much for showcasing this young writer and her amazing essay. I’m so honored that I was able to be a small part of her success,” said Miller. An estimated 165 teachers statewide assisted their students in writing an essay about their grandparents.

The annual contest highlights the nurturing relationship shared between grandparents and their grandchildren. “This essay contest is an important way to recognize and support grandparents who make a difference in the lives of grandchildren today,” said Gary Adkins, AARP Kentucky volunteer state president.

AARP Kentucky and KRTA value a long history of working together to grow the annual essay contest. Essays are judged on grammar, form, neatness, creativity, expression and characteristics of the grandparent. Local volunteers from KRTA’s 118 Units support the contest, along with a panel of AARP volunteers and KRTA representatives who select the winner.

In Kentucky today, more than 50,000 grandparents are raising a grandchild, often stepping in with love, strength, and sacrifice. This program honors those grandparents for their dedication, while also recognizing the students who share their stories and the teachers who inspire them to do so.

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