Five Chehalis Middle School students were among the 20 finalists chosen to compete in the state qualifying round of the National Civics Bee competition last Saturday. In an enthusiastic event at the ornate Providence Academy building in downtown Vancouver, three of the Chehalis students made the list of the top 10 finalists who will compete June 1 at the state level championship of the state’s first ever National Civics Bee.
The three finalists going to the state championship are Olivia Cherrington, Oliver Stanton and Brady "Bruz" Taylor. Also competing Saturday as part of the top 20 in the state were fellow Chehalis Middle School students Kendall Coiteux and Lily Bailey.
Out of nearly 100 essays submitted by middle school students from across the state, judges from around the nation selected the 20 finalists who were invited to compete on Saturday.
The first round of the event was a set of questions on governmental operations, from the amendments to the U.S. Constitution to the overall form of government. Contestants used individual computers to answer the timed questions.
Parents were invited to play along on their phones from the audience in a separate competition for $50 dollars to spend with Clark County merchants. Lewis County Deputy Auditor Tom Stanton, father of one of the finalists, won that competition.
The students with the top five scores were then interviewed on stage by a panel of Clark County mayors who served as judges. The finalists discussed their essay topics (on their proposals to address a community issue of their choice, such as homelessness and historic preservation), then answered questions from the mayors. Those judges picked three winners who received cash prizes.
The Association of Washington Business Institute will hold the state championship event on June 1 at the Museum of Flight in Tukwila as the culmination of a day spent discussing education and workforce development. The National Civics Bee is a program of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation.
“We were delighted to see the enthusiasm and engagement displayed by our talented middle schoolers during this weekend's Civics Bee as well as the thoughtful essays submitted for entry,” said John McDonagh, president and CEO of the Greater Vancouver Chamber, which hosted the event. “At the Chamber, we firmly that by nurturing and actively involving the youth of Southwest Washington in civic matters, we are making a strategic investment in the emerging leaders who will propel our community towards sustained growth and opportunities."
The public is invited to the state final Civics Bee competition. Learn more and register at www.awb.org.
