Marina Bae Graham of Enumclaw had the No. 1 entry in the state of Washington, then placed third in the 2012 4-H national essay contest sponsored by the National Foundation for the Preservation of Honey Bees.

The annual contest is sponsored by the American Beekeeping Federation and this year’s topic was “The Results of Honey Bee Pollination in my Community.”

On May 1 she was awarded a $250 check and a bee-keeping book.

Graham is a 13-year-old Enumclaw homeschooler and a member of Sirius 4-H Club.

Each year, active 4-H members of all ages are eligible to submit an essay to their state 4-H office. Participating states then submit one state-winning essay to the national level. Essays are judged on scope of research, accuracy, creativity, conciseness and logical development of the topic.