Oregon middle school students are being invited to compete in the first-of-its-kind Oregon Civics Bee, encouraging them to come up with ideas to solve problems in their communities.
The Oregon Business & Industry Research and Education Foundation (OBI) announced the contest Wednesday. Participants will have a chance to win cash prizes ranging from $500 to $1,000.
OBI says any student in grades 6-8 who’d like to participate will identify a problem in their community and write a 500-word essay about how they could address it. The online portal to submit entries will open Nov. 13 through Jan. 9, 2024.
RELATED: New Warm Springs Youth Tribal Council sworn in
RELATED: Jefferson Co. students who missed this tradition due to pandemic get do-over
Judges will pick 20 students to participate in the Oregon Civics Bee finale in Salem next May. The live competition will include a quiz-style round. Three finalists will get the chance to make the case for their essay in front of a panel of judges.
The Oregon winner will be invited to take part in the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation’s National Civics Bee, OBI said. Participants there will have a chance to win cash prizes ranging from $5,000 to $10,000.
More information can be found on the Oregon Civics Bee website.
