The event is open to students in public, private and charter schools, including those who are being homeschooled.
Presented by The Honolulu Star-Advertiser, the initiative is held in partnership with The Civic Trust® of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation.
Educators are encouraged to include the National Civics Bee® Hawaii essay prompts and activities into their curriculum to support civic learning and involvement in the community.
“This provides a unique opportunity to inspire young leaders to think critically about issues affecting their communities while aligning with educational goals,” said President & CEO of Chamber of Commerce Hawaii Sherry Menor-McNamara in a release. “The future is in the hands, minds and hearts of our youth.”
Guidelines for the National Civics Bee® Hawaii essay:
• Participants must be in grades 6 to 8.
• Essay must be 600 to 750 words.
• The essay must identify a specific challenge in the student’s community, potential solutions and partners. The solution must demonstrate a connection to founding principles and civic virtues in the student essay guide.
• Essays can include a wide range of topics such as advocacy for legislation or policies, community improvement initiatives, youth engagement in civics, public health and safety, environmental sustainability, education and equity, social justice and equality, technology and civic engagement, local issues with civic solutions, national issues with local impact and more.
• The deadline to submit essays is 6:59 p.m. HST Feb. 4.
“Fostering a deep understanding of civics and government among our young students is critical to the vibrancy of democracy and civic life in America,” said U.S. Chamber Foundation Vice President of Civics Hilary Crow. “The National Civics Bee® provides a unique platform for them to showcase their knowledge and become active and engaged citizens of the future.”
The Hawaii State Finals will be held on March 1 at the Hawaii State Capitol Auditorium where finalists will participate in a live quiz event and answer questions from judges to show their understanding of civics.
The Hawaii State Finals champion will receive $1,000, 2nd place will receive $500, and 3rd place will receive $250. The Hawaii State Finals champion will also receive a trip to Washington, D.C., to compete in the fall 2025 national championship in which students will compete for 1st place with a $100,000 prize, 2nd place with a $25,000 prize and 3rd place offering $15,000.
More information is available at the Chamber of Commerce Hawaii website. People can also email Chamber of Commerce Hawaii’s Education Manager Sophia Wibholm at swibholm@cochawaii.org.
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