The three middle school students who advanced from the Greater Fort Walton Beach Chamber of Commerce’s regional National Civics Bee competition this spring competed at the state finals in Tallahassee last month.
- Emma C. of Lisa Jackson Preparatory School and Arianna N. of Northwest Florida Ballet Academie, both in Fort Walton Beach, along with Rishi T. of Florida State University Schools K-12 in Tallahassee, competed June 30 at the Florida State University Institute for Governance and Civics.
The three faced top-scoring middle schoolers from chambers across Florida after placing in the top three at the Chamber’s regional competition in April.
Araoluwakiitan A. of The Osceola Chamber won the state competition. Georgia W., also of The Osceola Chamber, took second place, and Orion A. of the Greater Sarasota Chamber finished third.
“We are so proud of Arianna, Emma, and Rishi for representing our region at the state level,” said Rachelle Graves, director of special events at the Greater Fort Walton Beach Chamber of Commerce. “These students dedicated countless hours to studying civics and community engagement, and their hard work reflects the strength of the program we’ve built here in Northwest Florida.”
- The state champion will advance to the National Civics Bee in Washington, D.C., on Oct. 13-14.
The Chamber also announced it will host the regional competition for a third consecutive year in 2027.
“The Greater Fort Walton Beach Chamber is honored to host the National Civics Bee for a second consecutive year and to welcome students from across our region,” said Ted Corcoran, president and CEO of the Chamber. “Encouraging our youth to learn about government, civic responsibility, and community leadership is an investment in the future of Northwest Florida. We are proud to help provide a platform where tomorrow’s leaders can shine.”
The National Civics Bee encourages young Americans to engage in civic life and contribute to their communities.
For more information, visit fwbchamber.org/national-civics-bee.
