04-04-2025
Odessa Chamber of Commerce to host National Civics Bee for middle schoolers
Apr. 3—The Odessa Chamber of Commerce is proud to host the Third Annual National Civics Bee this Saturday, April 5, at the Odessa College Wood Health Sciences Building. Twenty local middle school students will vie for the top prize, which is $1,000. The doors will open at 9 a.m. with breakfast and registration and the competition will begin at 9:30 a.m. and will be finished by noon. Special thanks to local sponsor Abell -Hanger Foundation for their support.
This event was open to all 6th, 7th or 8th grade students in the area. Ninety-three students submitted an essay to "Identify a problem facing our community." The essays were judged by community leaders and the top 20 students were selected to participate in this live competition. Students from Adinvita Private School, St. John's Episcopal School and Nimitz Middle School from Odessa, as well as Midland students from the Young Women's Leadership Academy and George Abell Middle School will participate in the live event.
Three community leaders will serve as local judges for the live event including Blake Fosse, Chair-elect of the Young Professionals of Odessa; Mark Palmer, Abell-Hanger Foundation Executive Director and Shem Culpepper, Odessa Chamber of Commerce 2024-2025 Board Chairman. Odessa American Publisher Pat Canty will serve as the event emcee. Special guest speakers include Odessa Mayor Cal Hendrick and State Representative Brooks Landgraf.
The National Civics Bee is an initiative aimed at encouraging more young Americans to engage in civics and contribute to their communities. Organized in partnership with The Civic Trust of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation, the competition will inspire middle schoolers to become better informed about American democracy, to engage respectfully and constructively in the community, and to build greater trust in others and institutions.
"We are so honored to be chosen by the U.S. Chamber to host this event for the third year. We are one of only five Chambers in Texas and 150 across the country to participate. Our middle school finalists submitted very impressive essays that shined a light on a variety of important issues and they are very in tune to offering solutions to these community problems," Renee' Earls, President/CEO of the Odessa Chamber of Commerce, said in a news release. "We can certainly learn from their ideas as they focus on the importance of civic involvement," she added.
Cash prizes will be given to the top three winners, who will also advance to the state finals in Austin on May 17.
The public is invited to attend.
