Wright State University hosting National Civics Bee Regional Competition

Wright State University’s Center for Civics, Culture and Workforce Development is proud to host the upcoming National Civics Bee Regional Competition. Middle school students from the Dayton area will gather to test their civics knowledge to compete for a spot in the Ohio State Finals in Columbus and the National Civics Bee in Washington, D.C.

Following an initial essay competition, 20 local students in grades six to eight will be invited to participate in the in-person regional competition on April 17, 2027. This marks the first year Wright State will host the event.

“Before students can improve their communities effectively, they need a solid grasp of how civil society, virtuous citizenship and individual rights fit together,” said Mike Jacobs, Ph.D., deputy director of the Wright State Center for Civics, Culture and Workforce Development. “The Civics Bee gives them a structured way to build that intellectual foundation and then put it to use in their communities.”

For the initial round, students will submit a brief essay proposing a way to improve their school or community. Twenty finalists will advance to the regional competition at Wright State, where they will answer civic knowledge questions and discuss their proposals with a panel of local community and civic leaders. Three regional finalists will receive prizes of up to $500 and advance to the Ohio State Finals next summer.

Three students will then be selected as state champions and advance to the National Civics Bee in Washington, D.C., where they will compete for the national title and up to $100,000 in 529 education savings account contributions.

Launched in early 2025, the Center for Civics, Culture and Workforce Development works to strengthen civic literacy, cultural understanding and workforce readiness in the Dayton region, with a special focus on the defense community and Wright-Patterson Air Force Base.

The National Civics Bee Regional Competition at Wright State is supported by a $3 million grant awarded by the U.S. Department of Education to expand civic literacy, leadership and participation. The center’s three-year program “Civic Foundation: Equipping K–12 for America’s Next 250 years,” empowers educators and students to better understand their rights and responsibilities as citizens and to apply those lessons in their classrooms, communities and daily lives.

The National Civics Bee is a free, annual competition organized by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation’s Civic Trust in partnership with the Bill of Rights Institute, Johns Hopkins Institute for Education Policy and Khan Academy. The contest is open to students from public, private, charter and homeschools.

All entries must be received by Feb. 2, 2027. More information can be found at civics.uschamberfoundation.org/national-civics-bee.