The Greater Fort Walton Beach Chamber of Commerce made history Tuesday by hosting Florida’s first National Civics Bee, showcasing the civic knowledge of middle school students from across Okaloosa County.

• The March 11 event, held at Gregg Chapel Life Center, brought together 14 finalists who had been selected from more than 40 essay submissions on civics topics relevant to the local community.

In collaboration with the Okaloosa County School District, the Chamber organized the competition for students in grades 6-8, with Eglin Federal Credit Union serving as the primary sponsor.

The competition featured two rounds of multiple-choice questions, with the top five contestants advancing to the final round. Technology sponsor Cox provided iPads for the event and surprised participants by allowing them to keep the devices afterward.

Noah from Destin Middle School claimed first place, winning $500 and a trophy. Addisyn from Northwest Florida Ballet Academie took second place with $250 and a trophy, while Arianna, also from Northwest Florida Ballet Academie, secured third place with $125 and a trophy.

• All three winners will represent Fort Walton Beach at the State Finals in Tallahassee on May 31.

“We are so grateful to the U.S. Chamber for creating this concept,” said Ted Corcoran, President and CEO of the Fort Walton Beach Chamber. “We were honored to be the first Chamber of Commerce in Florida to participate.”

Corcoran praised the students’ performance, noting, “Some questions stumped me, but these students excelled, making the competition intense.”

The panel of judges included Thedna YellowBear-Baskin of Eglin Federal Credit Union, David Deliman of Cox, Mitzi Henley of Sports Clips, Daniel O’Rourke of Chesser & Barr, and David Triana of Conexion.

For more information about the National Civics Bee or future initiatives, contact the Fort Walton Beach Chamber of Commerce.