Ten Maryland Students to Compete in National Civics Bee
PRESS RELEASE
April 21, 2022
Contact: Eleanor Goedeke, Director of Marketing & Communication
egoedeke@mdchamber.org
(410) 269-0642 x 1120
ANNAPOLIS, Md. — The Maryland Chamber Foundation has selected ten middle school student finalists to compete in the upcoming National Civics Bee on May 7th at Bowie State University. These ten students, who rose to the top of a pool of 101 student entries, received top marks on the 500-word civics-themed essays they submitted in the first round of competition. The ten finalists hail from nine different public, private and home schools across Maryland and include:
- Celeste D., The Key School, grade 6
- Charlie H., New Hope Academy, grade 7
- Elizabeth S., Oakland Mills Middle School, grade 8
- Gianna S., home school, grade 6
- Jacqueline N., Redland Middle School, grade 8
- Michael A., Franklin Middle School, grade 8
- Ogala N., home school, grade 8
- Oluwanifemi A., Franklin Middle School, grade 7
- Rayn M., Northwest Academy of Health Sciences, grade 7
- Sahasra K., Chapelgate Christian Academy, grade 6
The final round of the competition is a live quiz-style event to test the students’ civics knowledge. The Maryland Chamber Foundation is honored to welcome the following civic-minded Marylander professionals to serve as the final round judges who will ultimately determine the winner:
- Clarence Crawford, president, Maryland State Board of Education
- Delegate Anne Kaiser, District 14, Maryland House of Delegates
- Deborah Phelps, executive director, The Education Foundation of Baltimore County Public Schools
Mr. Crawford will also deliver the keynote address at the event.
“We are thrilled to bring the National Civics Bee to Maryland and to give our students the opportunity to learn how to productively engage in our democracy because sparking an interest in civics in the next generation is critical for a prosperous, unified Maryland in the long-term,” said Whitney Harmel, executive director of the Maryland Chamber Foundation and executive vice president of the Maryland Chamber of Commerce. “We were impressed by the caliber of essays we received from students in 47 zip codes across our state on important public issues in their communities and are honored to have such an esteemed panel of judges joining us for the competition to test their knowledge. It will be a very memorable day for us all.”
In February, The Maryland Chamber Foundation announced the launch of the 2022 National Civics Bee, an initiative aimed at encouraging more young Americans to engage in civics and contribute to their communities. The event is one of six pilot programs organized by The Civic Trust of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation. The competition, sponsored in Maryland by Amazon, engages middle schoolers to become better informed about American democracy, to engage respectfully and constructively in the public square and to build greater trust in others and institutions.
Media are welcome to attend the competition. Contact Eleanor Goedeke for more information at 410-269-0642 (x 1120) or egoedeke@mdchamber.org.
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About the Maryland Chamber Foundation
Established in 1987, the Maryland Chamber Foundation is a 501(c)(3) that focuses on the research and educational objectives of the Maryland Chamber of Commerce. The Foundation supports research on issues important to businesses, including analyses of the Maryland economy and business climate. This research drives solutions in education, talent pipeline and workforce development. With the goal of improving the connection between business, education and all Marylanders, the Maryland Chamber Foundation focuses on building partnerships to leverage and enhance existing programs. Learn more at mdchamber.org/foundation.
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