National Civics Bee

The National Civics Bee® is an annual competition that inspires young Americans to engage in civics and contribute to their communities. The National Civics Bee is a nonpartisan initiative of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation to enhance civic literacy, skills, and participation. Middle school students from public, private, charter, and homeschools are invited to apply to the 2026 National Civics Bee by submitting an essay with ideas about improving their communities.

Upcoming – 2025 National Championship

November 2025
U.S. Chamber of Commerce
Washington D.C.

How the 2026 National Civics Bee Competition Works

Local chambers chosen to be partners in the National Civics Bee® host a local civics bee competition that takes part in several phases:

Local Essay Round — Students enter the local Bee of their choosing by submitting an essay regarding a problem facing their community — and ideas for helping to solve it:

• Identify a specific problem, challenge, or opportunity in your community. What can you do to contribute to its improvement? (100 words minimum – 150 words maximum)
• Describe the steps you would take to make this change. What will you do to make a positive impact, and why does it matter? (150-200 words)
• Find support to help you bring your idea to life. What individuals or organizations would you work with to accomplish your solution? Examples include elected officials, business leaders and nonprofits. (100-150 words)
• Connect your idea to the values that shaped our country. How does your idea reflect the Founding Principles and Civic Virtues of our country? (150-250 words)

Local Civics Bee Competitions — Local chambers will judge each essay and select twenty local finalists to compete live in a local Civics Bee Competition, which will determine the First, Second, and Third Place Winners of the local competition. The local Bee competition is a 90-minute, in-person event featuring two rounds of civics questions followed by a Q&A round with approximately three judges.

Virginia State Finals Competition — The top three winners from each local competition will advance to compete live in the National Civics Bee®: Virginia State Finals, hosted by the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation in conjunction with VA250 in June 2026. The state finalist with the highest cumulative score will be named the First Place Winner of the State Competition. There will also be a Second Place Winner and Third Place Winner.

National Championship — The National Championship for the 2026 National Civics Bee® will take place in November 2026 in Washington, D.C. at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce headquarters.

Who is eligible

A Virginia student registered in grades 6, 7 or 8 at any public, private or home school institution at the time of entry is eligible for participation.

How to enter

To enter, students should select one of the local chamber competitions in Virginia and follow the steps, rules and guidelines provided by the chamber to submit your entry. Please note: Students can only apply to one local chamber competition.

More Resources:

• Educator Toolkit
• 2025-26 Essay Application Guide
• Student Flyer

2025 Virginia State Civics Bee Competition

Saturday, June 7, 2025
The Art Museums of Colonial Williamsburg

Congratulations to the 2025 State Civics Bee Finalists!

First Place
Neil Handa
Henley Middle School
Crozet, VA

Second Place
Yousef Kiani
J. Jupton Simpson Middle School
Leesburg, VA

Third Place
Arianna McBride
Andrew Lewis Middle School
Salem, VA
 

2025 Regional Civics Bee Competitions

We appreciate the following chambers for hosting 2025 Regional Civics Bees. Congratulations and thank you to all of the participants.

Halifax County Chamber of Commerce
Greater Augusta Regional Chamber of Commerce
Louisa County Chamber of Commerce
Roanoke Regional Chamber of Commerce
Loudoun Chamber of Commerce

2024 National Championship

November 12, 2024
Washington D.C.
Congratulations to Zoey Downer, a student from Virginia for winning Fourth Place!

In The News

Virginia teen heads to National Civics Bee, a competition to teach peers about the importance of government

July 2, 2025
WHRO Public Media