Columbia County Chamber of Commerce launches National Civics Bee® for middle school students

COLUMBIA COUNTY, Ga. (WJBF) – Middle schoolers in Columbia County can dive into the world of government, as the Columbia County Chamber of Commerce announces its launch of the National Civics Bee® .

According to the chamber, the National Civics Bee® will be hosted in partnership with The Civic Trust® of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation. It was formed as a way to educate students the country’s democracy and how to engage constructively within the community.

Middle school students of public, private, charter and home schools are invited to participate in the civics essay competition. Students selected from the essay can advance to the local competition – a live event featuring two rounds of civics questions followed by a Q&A round to test their civics knowledge.

The Columbia County Chamber of Commerce will host a local competition in the spring of 2025. There is a prize of up to $500 for the first-place winner. Local winners across the country can go on to compete at the state and national levels.

“The region’s future depends on people that are interested in how our government operates and is actively engaged in the community,” said Russell Lahodny, President and CEO of the Columbia County Chamber of Commerce. “Much like our initiatives to create a workforce talent pipeline, The National Civics Bee® allows us to engage with middle school students and start thinking about how they can be good citizens of the Greater Augusta region, the state, and even the country.”

Applications open this fall. More information is expected to be available at the Columbia County Chamber of Commerce website .

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