The National Civics Bee® Competition in Washington County, UT
Presented by United We Pledge in partnership with the St. George Chamber of Commerce and the US Chamber’s Civics Trust.
The 2025 National Civics Bee® Championship will bring finalists from 28 states to U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation headquarters to test their civics knowledge, skills, and disposition as they compete for more than $100,000 in prizes.
At A Glance
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FAQ
What is the Civics Bee?
The National Civics Bee® is an annual competition that inspires young Americans to engage in civics and contribute to their communities. As they compete for a spot in the Championship, middle schoolers in sixth, seventh, and eighth grades from across the country showcase their civics knowledge and skills, winning prizes and recognition along the way.
United We Pledge, along with the St. George Chamber of Commerce, is participating with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation and local chambers across Utah to host the annual nationwide civics competition. We will be hosting our regional competition here in St. George, then the winners will go to the state competition and the winner of that will move on to nationals.
The National Civics Bee was inaugurated to encourage middle and junior high school students to engage in civics and contribute as good citizens to their communities.
The competition is modeled after traditional spelling and geography bees and will give students the chance to win recognition and earn cash prizes. Competitors will share ideas for improving their communities and show their enthusiasm for civics.
The winner of the National Civics Bee Utah State Finals will be invited to Washington, DC to compete in the national championship in Fall 2025. There, they will have a chance to win cash and other prizes valued at over $100,000!
Why Civics?
United We Pledge is dedicated to serving youth by providing best in class civics education through our Give Me Liberty initiative. It is thus a natural partnership with the Chambers of Commerce that support the National Civics Bee.
Together, we support this challenging event because we all believe that to make our country strong, we need an informed and contributing citizenry. Citizens who actively participate in our civics process make for a strong economy and a strong engaged workforce and that our continued prosperity depends on these strengths.
United We Pledge and the St. George Chamber are promoting greater civic knowledge throughout Washington County and Utah. We are celebrating our civic pride through the National Civics Bee.
The National Civics Bee®
At A Glance
Entries from more than 8,000 students.
Competitors advance through local and state bees that take place through August.
One finalist from each state receives a trip to DC to compete at the Championship in November.
Students (& Parents!)
Register Now
If you are a 6th, 7th or 8th grade student, register with us and flex your civics knowledge for a chance to win recognition and cash prizes.
In partnership with local and state chambers of commerce across the country, the 4th annual National Civics Bee® is taking place in 2025.
State champs will travel to Washington, D.C. to compete for the national title!
A Special Thanks To Our Generous Sponsors
In addition to funding from the St. George Chamber of Commerce, the Washington County, UT competition of the National Civics Bee® is made possible by the generous support of
Balance of Nature, Stephen Wade Auto Group, & The Daniels Fund
Calling All Members of the Chamber: Get Involved!
Showcase your company’s commitment to developing active and engaged citizens! Contact Paulette at [email protected]
When the streamers burst from cannons in the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s Great Hall, fourteen-year-old Emily from Anchorage, Alaska, stood center stage in tears. She had just been named the first-ever National Civics Bee® Champion, taking home the Bill Daniels National Civics Award and a $100,000 education savings account.
Emily’s journey to the national stage began through the Alaska Chamber of Commerce‘s state competition in June. She was one of more than 8,000 middle school students who participated in National Civics Bee competitions across 28 states this year.
Through essay submissions and live quiz challenges, these future civic leaders competed for a chance to represent their state in Washington, D.C. “My interest in civics started because I saw how legislation can make a real difference in people’s lives, including my own,” Emily told the U.S. Chamber Foundation after her win.
The national championship tested even the most knowledgeable civic minds in the room. While 27 student finalists tackled increasingly challenging questions about American democracy, audience members participated in their own interactive quiz – often stumped by the same questions these middle schoolers handled with ease. Through multiple rounds of competition, Emily shared the stage with an incredible group of finalists, ultimately joining Michael from Iowa and Keith from New Mexico on the winners’ podium. While all three showed remarkable civic knowledge, Emily’s deep understanding of democratic principles earned her the championship title.
“There was just a moment where it clicked, like, ‘She could really win this,’” Emily’s father, Brian Brubaker, shared with Alaska’s News Source. The prize carries special meaning for their family, opening up new possibilities for Emily’s future.
Those possibilities? They’re as big as the satellites Emily hopes to program one day. She plans to use her education fund at a school like MIT, setting her sights on a future career as a spacecraft programmer at NASA.
Emily’s victory marks a milestone for the National Civics Bee, which aims to expand to all 50 states by 2026. “Definitely consider applying,” she encourages other students. “Now that I’m here and I’m meeting all these other people who are passionate about civics, I’m realizing that it’s not just a study of the people and the government, it’s also a way of bringing people together.”
FAQs
When is the National Civics Bee® Championship?
The Championship will take place on November 12, 2024, in Washington, DC
How do I watch the National Civics Bee® Championship?
Registration information coming soon!
How are finalists chosen?
Who runs the National Civics Bee®?
How can I sponsor the National Civics Bee®?
How It Works
Local Essay Round: Students enter the local Bee by submitting a 500-word essay. Entries will be accepted directly by the Chamber or United We Pledge beginning in November 2024 through February 1, 2025.
Local Civics Bee Competition: The Chamber & UWP will judge each essay and select twenty local finalists to compete live in our local Civics Bee Competition, which will determine the first, second and third place winners of the local competition. The local Civics Bee Competition is a 90-minute, in-person event featuring two rounds of civics questions followed by a Q&A round. The local Bee will be held between May 1, 2025 at Dixie Technical College at 6 PM.
State Civics Bee Competition: The top three winners from each local competition will advance to compete in the Utah Civics Bee Competition on June 13 at Westminster College in Salt Lake City. The state finalist with the highest cumulative score will be named the first place winner of the state competition and have the opportunity to compete in the National Civics Bee Championship.
National Championship: The 2025 National Civics Bee Championship will take place November 10-11, 2025 in Washington, D.C.
Prizes
LOCAL
1st Place: $500 Cash Prize, Trophy & Goes to State
2nd Place: $250 Cash Prize & Trophy. Goes to State.
3rd Place: $125 Cash Prize & Trophy
All competitors will receive a certificate of competition in the local Civcs Bee.
STATE
1st Place: $1000 Cash Prize, Trophy & Goes to Nationals
2nd Place: $500 Cash Prize & Trophy.
3rd Place: $250 Cash Prize & Trophy
All competitors will receive a certificate of competition in the state Civcs Bee.
NATIONAL
State finalists who advance to the national competition will compete for trophies & prizes worth more than $100,000
All competitors will receive a certificate of competition.
