Inaugural ABQ Civics Bee

Calling all middle school students! Share your ideas and show off your citizenship skills in the National Civics Bee.

How to Enter

If you are a middle school student with an idea about using civics to solve a problem in your community, review the rules and guidelines on this page:

Essay submissions are now closed. We hope to see you next year!

Complete the submission form, including contact information for your parent or guardian, and submit your 500-word essay for consideration. The contest will take place on May 3rd, 2022.

Why Civics?

We believe that informed and active citizens make for a strong country, a strong economy, and a strong workforce and that our continued prosperity depends on the strength of all three. The National Civics Bee is a way to promote greater civics knowledge and civic participation across the country and to energize our community with a celebration of civic pride.

Prizes

Each finalist will receive a trophy. In addition:

Albuquerque has been selected as one of six sites nationally to host an inaugural civics bee competition event for middle school students. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation intends to launch an annual, national civics bee competition, and they are piloting local competitions in six locations this year, working with local chambers of commerce like ours to serve as hosts and organizers. We’re excited to be leading this effort. Promoting civil discourse and rigorous civics education is so important to our kids’ future and the stability of American institutions and governance.

In the coming weeks, we’ll collect at least 100 essays from our students here in Albuquerque. Then, we’ll use selected business and community leaders as judges to score and rank them to move some of those students on for a live and in-person quiz-style competition with some special guests.

It’s exciting for us to be involved at the ground floor of what we expect will become a renowned, exciting national event each year. We’re looking forward to working with our local students, teachers, principals, and parents to help our community get excited about civics. We hope you’ll join us!

"We’re delighted to make learning fun with our first-ever civics bee. We want to invite every middle schooler in Albuquerque to submit a thoughtful essay and show us what they know about civics. We can’t wait to see you on stage!"

Terri Cole

President & CEO, GACC

"At the Chamber, we believe in the importance of being truly engaged in the community, and civics is a critical part of that. We want to teach our kids young about how they can stay informed and involved in important decision-making that keeps our community moving forward, and the civics bee makes it fun and kid-friendly!"