The students, retirees and mid-career workers who've won the EnvisionMichigan story contest all have one thing in common: deep passion for Michigan and hopeful vision for the state's future.

Today (May 22) The Center for Michigan will award more than $30,000 in college scholarships and Michigan vacation packages to the top 11 out of some 200 essays submitted to our contest blog since fall 2007.

Click on the names of the winning contestants to read their visions of Michigan's future.

We're also grateful to the more than 200 Michigan photographers who have volunteered more than 5,200 photographs to The Center for Michigan Flickr page.

Finally, we offer thanks to the EnvisionMichigan contest judges:

Margaret Trimer-Hartley, Superintendent of University Preparatory Schools in Detroit

Jack Driscoll, Instructor of Creative Writing, Interlochen Arts Academy in Interlochen

Charles Ballard, Professor of Economics, Michigan State University in East Lansing

Neil Munro, Retired Editor, The Oakland Press in Pontiac

Bridgett Lomax, Development Director, Gleaners Community Food Bank in Detroit