Michigan’s National Civics Bee abuzz with action

Overview

• The National Civics Bee is returning and expanding across Michigan for 2025
• The Michigan Chamber Foundation, along with 10 local chambers, will host 2025 community, statewide Bees to encourage informed, active citizens and spur community engagement
• All Michigan 6th, 7th and 8th graders from any public, private, charter, or home schools are eligible to participate
• Plymouth-Canton Community Schools student Evan Zhen to represent Michigan at national competition Nov. 12 in Washington, D.C. and chance to win up to $50K

What’s New

The National Civics Bee will be back and expanding in Michigan for 2025, the Michigan Chamber Foundation proudly announced today. The Bee is an initiative aimed at encouraging more young Americans to engage in civics and contribute to their communities.

The Foundation also wished Evan Zhen from East Middle School of Plymouth-Canton Community Schools hearty congratulations and well wishes as he earned the title of Michigan’s first state champion and heads to our nation’s capital Nov. 12 for the national competition. Check out this profile on Evan.

“Informed, active citizens are the heart of thriving communities and economies,” said MI Chamber President & CEO Jim Holcomb. “This initiative is one essential way to spark civic interest and knowledge and help combat the political division or apathy that’s too prevalent these days. Students like Evan make us proud and confident in our shared future – go, Evan!”

How It Works
Middle school students – those in grades 6 to 8 – from public, private, charter, and home schools are invited to take part in the first-round civics essay competition – slated to open this fall in October of 2024, and close in February of 2025. Students should not worry if there isn’t a chamber in their specific community and just pick the nearest one to them.

Essays can be submitted via one of the following 10 participating local chambers/ competitions for 2025:

• Battle Creek Area Chamber
• Bay Area Chamber of Commerce
• Canton Chamber of Commerce
• Chaldean American Chamber of Commerce
• Grand Rapids Chamber
• Jackson County Chamber of Commerce
• Mt. Pleasant Area Chamber of Commerce
• Northern Michigan National Civics Bee
• North Oakland Regional Chamber Association
• South Kent Chamber

After a distinguished panel of judges review the 750-word essays, the top 20 students from each competition will be selected to move on to the next round: a live quiz event that will take place in the spring of 2025 to test their civics knowledge.

The finalists and top winners will receive various prizes, including $500 cash for the first- place student. The top three finishers – or 30 total students – will move on to the 2^nd annual National Civics Bee statewide competition slated for July of 2025.

From there, the first-place winner of the state competition receives a $1,000 cash prize and advances to the National Championship Bee in Washington, D.C. in the fall of 2025.

The Need and Case for Civics
Civic knowledge is far too low in Michigan and across the country.

• More than 70% of us fail a basic literacy quiz on topics like the three branches of government, the number of U.S. Supreme Court justices or landmark cases, or other basic functions of our democracy.
• 9 in 10 Americans do believe that a civics education is important to the success of our country.

2024 Michigan Highlights

• Hundreds of students from across the state submitted essays, showcasing their understanding of how civic engagement can transform communities.
• 15 student finalists from 13 middle schools – from our state’s east side of Macomb County to the west side in Ottawa County – competed in the inaugural statewide bee.
• Students demonstrated impressive knowledge of civic responsibility, the U.S. Constitution and local government.
• Finalists presented innovative ideas on how to tackle key civic challenges in their communities.
• Dozens of Michigan legislators, business leaders and educators were present to cheer on these young civic leaders.

Key 2024-25 Dates

• October 2024: Essay portal opens
• February 2025: Essay portal closes
• Spring 2025: Local Competitions take place
• July 2025: Michigan’s Bee takes place
• November 2025: National Championship Bee takes place in Washington, D.C.

Organized in partnership with The Civic Trust of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation, the National Civics Bee is designed to inspire middle schoolers to become better informed about our country’s democracy, to engage respectfully and constructively in the community, and to build greater trust in others and institutions.

For More Information
Visit michamber.com/micivicsbee for more information, and participating local chamber websites for specific essay topics, competition rules and prizes, and coming soon, the opportunity to submit essays. Or email micivicsbee@michamber.com with any questions.