TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Three area middle school students represented the Greater Fort Walton Beach Chamber of Commerce at the National Civics Bee Florida State Finals after advancing through the regional competition, while the chamber announced it will host the program again next year.
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Arianna N., Emma C., and Rishi T. earned berths in the state competition after placing among the top three at the chamber’s National Civics Bee Regional Finals in April. They competed against top middle school students representing chambers of commerce from across Florida.
The state finals were held June 30 at the Florida State University Institute for Governance and Civics in Tallahassee.
The top finishers were Araoluwakiitan A. of The Osceola Chamber, who placed first; Georgia W. of The Osceola Chamber, who finished second; and Orion A. of the Greater Sarasota Chamber, who placed third.
Rachelle Graves, director of special events for the Greater Fort Walton Beach Chamber of Commerce, praised the Northwest Florida students for advancing to the state competition.
“We are so proud of Arianna, Emma, and Rishi for representing our region at the state level,” Ms Graves said.
“These students dedicated countless hours to studying civics and community engagement, and their hard work reflects the strength of the program we’ve built here in Northwest Florida.”
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The Florida state champion will advance to the National Civics Bee National Finals, scheduled for Oct. 13-14 in Washington, D.C.
The Greater Fort Walton Beach Chamber of Commerce also announced it will host the National Civics Bee Regional Finals for a second consecutive year.
Ted Corcoran, president and CEO of the Greater Fort Walton Beach Chamber of Commerce, said the organization is proud to continue bringing the program to Northwest Florida.
“The Greater Fort Walton Beach Chamber is honored to host the National Civics Bee for a second consecutive year and to welcome students from across our region,” Mr Corcoran said.
“Encouraging our youth to learn about government, civic responsibility, and community leadership is an investment in the future of Northwest Florida.”
Corcoran said the chamber is proud to provide a platform for young people to develop leadership skills and demonstrate their civic knowledge.
The National Civics Bee is an annual, nonpartisan program of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation’s The Civic Trust that promotes civics education and civic engagement among middle school students through local, state, and national competitions.
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