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Civics Bee
Queen Creek student wins local National Civics Bee competition
Photo by Alexis Crossman and Hayley Old-Tucker
Maya J., center, of Payne Junior High in the Chandler Unified School District won first prize in the local National Civics Bee hosted by the Queen Creek Chamber of Commerce.
Posted
A student from Payne Junior High School in Queen Creek has won the Valley’s first National Civics Bee.
Organized in partnership with the Civic Trust of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation, the event was hosted by the Queen Creek Chamber of Commerce on Feb. 23. The competition was aimed at encouraging more young Americans to engage in civics and contribute to their communities, according to a chamber press release.
Eighteen middle-school students from across the East Valley took part in the live portion of the civics bee, which was held at the Combs Performing Arts Center in San Tan Valley. The finalists were selected from among 234 students who turned in 500-word essays in the first round of the competition. Students participating in the live quiz portion of the civics bee answered questions from judges to test their civic knowledge.
Maya J. took home first prize and received a $500 cash award. Payne Junior High is located in Queen Creek and is part of the Chandler Unified School District
August O., Benjamin A. and Shaurya A. finished in the top four and all will join Maya at the May 3 state competition hosted by the Arizona Chamber of Commerce and Industry. The state winners will receive various prizes, including $1,000 for the first-place student.
“It was so wonderful to meet the students. These are high performers, and it is clear they studied hard. Some of these questions were not easy, and one student scored 18 out of 20 points,” stated Chris Clark, president and CEO of the Queen Creek Chamber of Commerce. “There were so many students who participated in the National Civics Bee in Queen Creek and learned how the government was founded and how the system works.”
Carolyn Cawley, president of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation, stated in the release that 53% of Americans are not able to name the three branches of government.
“At the same time, 79% of eighth graders score below proficient in civics,” Cawley added, “Through the National Civics Bee we aim to reverse this trend and inspire a new generation of Americans to be civically engaged and active in shaping the future of our communities and our nation.”
