Feb. 24 is deadline for the essay contest sponsored by the Odessa Chamber of Commerce.
The essay contest is the first step of the 2023 National Civics Bee, an initiative aimed at encouraging more young Americans to engage in civics and contribute to their communities. Organized in partnership with The Civic Trust of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation, this competition will inspire middle schoolers to become better informed about American democracy, to engage respectfully and constructively in the community, and to build greater trust in others and institutions.
Middle school students from public, private, charter, and home schools are invited to take part in the first-round civics essay competition. After a distinguished panel reviews the 500-word essays, the top 20 students will be selected to move on to the final round of competition: a live quiz event to test their civics knowledge. More information about the time and location of this event will be released at a later date. The finalists and top winners will receive various prizes, including $500 cash for the first-place student, a news release said.
“In recent years, Americans’ civics knowledge has fallen significantly, with 47% not being able to name all three branches of government. At the same time, 76% of eighth graders score below proficient in civics,” Carolyn Cawley, president of the U.S. Chamber Foundation, said in a news release. “Despite these disturbing numbers, studies show that simple interventions, such as taking a civics class early in academic life, can make a big difference in becoming active, informed and responsible citizens. This is exactly what we hope to achieve with the National Civics Bee – to inspire a new generation of Americans to be civically engaged and active in shaping the future of our communities and our nation.”
The deadline for student essay submissions is Friday, February 24th. For more information on the essay topic, competition rules and prizes, and to submit your essay, visit: http://bit.ly/3XmREnG
