Greater Reading Chamber Alliance announces National Civics Bee Contest

Competition is open to Berks County sixth- seventh- and eighth-grade students

The Greater Reading Chamber Alliance (GRCA) is partnering with the U.S. Chamber Foundation and the PA Chamber of Business & Industry to offer the National Civics Bee Contest. The competition is open to any sixth-, seventh- and eighth-grade students in Berks County in public, private, cyber or homeschool systems.

The National Civics Bee program was started by the U.S. Chamber Foundation in 2022 and has expanded to 10 states — including Pennsylvania — in 2023. The goal of the National Civics Bee is to encourage middle-schoolage students to “seek a better understanding of civics and the process of government,” according to a press release about the event.

To enter, students are asked to write a 500-word essay about how an issue in their community can be solved using civics. Essays are to be submitted online at tinyurl.com/yc7tzc5h by Feb. 24, and must be in English. There are six local contests being conducted in Pennsylvania so students will need to select one local event to participate in. All contest rules and requirements are available on the submission site.

The essays will be judged anonymously by Berks County business leaders. The students that submit the top 20 essays will be invited to participate in the local Civics Bee Contest, which will be held April 12, 2023, at the Reading Area Community College Miller Center for the Arts, 4 N. Second St., Reading.

All Civics Bee participants will be provided a study guide to help prepare for the event. During the local Civics Bee on April 12, students will answer multiple choice questions via a provided electronic device. There will be three rounds of questions, narrowing down the field to the top three student contestants.

The top three contestants will receive cash prizes — $250 for third place; $500 for second place; and $1,000 for first place. The top three students also can participate in the statewide Civics Bee contest conducted by the PA Chamber of Business & Industry on June 5, in Harrisburg. The top three statewide winners will be awarded additional cash prizes and will have the opportunity to participate in the National Civics Bee being conducted by the U.S. Chamber Foundation later this year.

Anyone with questions about the program, or wishing to obtain a copy of the student, parent, or curriculum guides and essay writing template, can contact Katie Hetherington Cunfer, kcunfer@greaterreading.org, 570-590-3777.

To enter, students are asked to write a 500-word essay about how an issue in their community can be solved using civics. Essays are to be submitted online at tinyurl. com/yc7tzc5h by Feb. 24, and must be in English.