UPDATE: The deadline to enter the Bee has been extended to Feb. 17, 2026
The Champaign County Chamber of Commerce is encouraging Central Illinois middle school students to participate in the National Civics Bee.
Sixth- through eight-graders, including homeschoolers, can showcase their civics knowledge, explore how government works and compete for scholarships, including a grand prize $100,000 Section 529 education savings plan.
The Champaign chamber will sponsor the regional competition, which is free, slated for May 9 at Parkland College (time TBA). To begin the process, middle schoolers must submit an essay by Feb. 3 proposing your ideas for improving your community. Finalists will be notified by March 8. Top-scoring essay finalists will be invited to compete at the regional Bee at Parkland.
At the regional bee, the first prize is worth $500, with second prize $250 and third prize $125. Winners advance to the state competition, and more cash prizes, in June and that winner advances to the national Bee in Washington, D.C., in the fall, where the top prize is the $100,000 savings plan.
“It’s our first time doing a regional competition,” said Kiley Simpson, public policy director of the Champaign County Chamber of Commerce. “We enjoyed doing the local Bee last year and we thought it would be nice to incorporate the whole region, from Springfield to Kankakee pretty much.”
For more information and to start the application process, click here.