A thriving community begins with an engaged and informed citizenry—and that starts with civics. That’s why The Osceola Chamber, in partnership with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation, hosted the National Civics Bee competition at Gateway High School last week, an exciting new initiative aimed at inspiring middle school students to deepen their understanding of American democracy, engage meaningfully in their communities, and build trust in one another and our civic institutions.
The journey began last November when The Osceola Chamber and the School District of Osceola County invited 6th, 7th, and 8th grade students from public, private, charter, and home schools to participate in a civics-themed essay contest. From those submissions, community leaders from across the nation selected the top 20 scoring students to advance to a live, in-person final round.
This local competition—one of only three held in the state during Florida’s inaugural year participating in the National Civics Bee—was a milestone for civic education in our region.
Emceed by Chamber President and CEO John Newstreet, the event featured two rigorous quiz rounds that tested students on their civics knowledge. The top five scorers then advanced to a final Q&A round, where they answered thoughtful, open-ended questions posed by a distinguished panel of judges:
The event culminated in the announcement of the top three winners:
All finalists received the tablet they used during competition, a commemorative National Civics Bee® t-shirt, and a prize bag. Cash prizes were awarded to the top three: $500 for first place, $250 for second, and $100 for third.
These three outstanding students will now represent Osceola and Central Florida at the Florida State Finals on May 31 at Florida State University in Tallahassee. From there, one state champion will advance to the National Championship in Washington, D.C. this fall, where the top prize is an impressive $100,000—with $25,000 and $15,000 awarded to the second- and third-place winners, respectively.
Reflecting on the impact of the event, Newstreet shared:
“Our great country and every community within the United States is built on the foundation of civics. Middle schoolers are at the perfect age to become better informed about American democracy as well as learn to respectfully and constructively engage in our community. The National Civics Bee provides a great platform for our young Americans to build greater trust in others and in our institutions. Kissimmee, St. Cloud, and Osceola County will benefit in the short term and long term when citizens are knowledgeable about how government works, lessons learned from our past, and constructive ways to engage in the process – a process which affects each and every one of us each and every day.”
The success of this inaugural event shines a bright light on the importance of civic education—and the incredible promise of our next generation of leaders.
Photo Source: Osceola Chamber