The Frederick County Chamber of Commerce is excited to announce our partnership with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation to bring The National Civics Bee to Frederick County middle school students!
The National Civics Bee is an annual competition that encourages young Americans to engage in civics and contribute to their communities. Participating middle school students flex their civics knowledge for a chance to win recognition and cash prizes. The Bee is co-sponsored by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation (USCCF) and participating chambers of commerce, like ours.
“All you need to do is watch coverage of our national political dysfunction to realize how crucial it is to understand the importance of civics in our society,” said Rick Weldon, President and CEO. “The Frederick County Chamber of Commerce is committed to increasing engagement in our public process, so participating in the National Civics Bee seems like a natural fit. We’re excited to see FCPS middle school students submit essays and potentially win significant prizes and recognition. These young people will be our local, state and national leaders someday, so let’s encourage them now!”.
Middle school students from public, private, charter, and home schools are invited to take part in the first-round civics essay competition. Leaders in the Frederick community will judge the essays and select 20 local finalists to participate in a live quiz event testing civics knowledge. The live event will be hosted on Tuesday, April 25th from 5:30 PM – 8:30 PM at Hood College’s Hodson Auditorium. The finalists and top winners will receive various prizes, including $500 cash for the first-place student.
The top 3 winners from the local competition will advance to the Maryland State live event. The state finalists compete for first, second, and third place prizes. In 2022, more than 900 students competed, and 50 finalists were awarded prizes and recognition for demonstrating their exceptional level of civic knowledge and thoughtful approach to solving community problems through constructive civic engagement.
The deadline for student essay submissions is February 24, 2023. For more information on the essay topic, competition rules and prizes, and to submit your essay, visit: https://bit.ly/3POoJWC
Frederick Chamber Insights is a news outlet of the Frederick County Chamber of Commerce. For more information about membership, programs and initiatives, please visit our website.