Hutchinson/Reno County Chamber of Commerce
HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The Hutch Chamber is looking for a cross-section of community leaders to volunteer as a judge for our first ever Civics Bee that is set to take place on April 17th, 2024.
Middle school students from across Reno County are taking part in the first-round of the civics bee competition by submitting a 500-word essay. By volunteering as either an Essay Judge (20-30 needed) or an Event Judge (3 needed) you’ll play a pivotal role in determining which 20 students advance to the live competition as finalists.
The 2024 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 local competition in Hutchinson 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.
Essay Judge
Can you commit at least 3 hours of your time to reading and scoring student essays, using tools provided by the Bee? Each essay should take approximately 5-7 minutes to read and score. We anticipate assigning you about 30 essays. Judging will take place January 9-16, 2024.
The Bee gives students an opportunity to share their thoughts, ideas and voices about our community. Participating as an Essay Judge allows you to hear from students directly.
The top 20 students will be selected to move on to the final round of competition: a live quiz event to test their civics knowledge. The finalists and top winners will receive various prizes, including $500 cash for the first-place student. The top 3 winners will then have a chance to compete at the State level.
Event Judge
Can you commit at least 5 hours of your time to judging student responses at a Local Event for the National Civics Bee®? The event takes place on Wednesday April 17th at Stringer Fine Arts Center. You will be required to arrive at 10:30 a.m. The event will end at approximately 5:00 p.m. This portion of the Civics Bee competition will include two rounds of civics ‘trivia’ and a final round of live questions from the judges pertaining to their essays.
If you are able to commit to either, there is a form to fill out. Forms must be complete by Monday, Dec. 11.
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