2026 Florida Statewide Finals - National Civics Bee®

Araoluwakiitan A.

Essay Topic: Human Trafficking

Arianna N.

Essay Topic: Cultivating Arts

Avinoor J.

Essay Topic: Healthy Learning

David M.

Essay Topic: Bike Safety

Emma C.

Essay Topic: Volunteering

Georgia W.

Essay Topic: Female CPR

Orion A.

Essay Topic: Substance Abuse 

Rishi T.

Essay Topic: Food Insecurity

Tristan R.

Essay Topic: Public Transportation

Viacheslav B.

Essay Topic: Emotional Intelligence

Zeke C.

Essay Topic: Community Garden

Local Bees:

• 1st Place: $500
• 2nd Place: $250
• 3rd Place: $125

State Finals:

• 1st Place: $1,000
• 2nd Place: $500
• 3rd Place: $250

National Finals:

• 1st Place: $100,000 (529 Plan)
• 2nd Place: $25,000 (529 Plan)
• 3rd Place: $15,000 (529 Plan)

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation (the “Foundation”) provides the following rules to Statewide Hosts as a template for National Civics Bee Statewide Competitions. The Foundation defines a “Statewide Competition” as a National Civics Bee-sanctioned live competition organized and operated by an organization authorized by the Foundation to host a Statewide Competition (a “Statewide Host”), after completion of the National Civics Bee Essay Round. 

These Statewide Rules are not intended for use in any other rounds of the National Civics Bee Competition (the “NCB Contest”). All participants must comply with the applicable rules for each round of the NCB Contest, which may include an Essay Round, a Regional Competition, a State or Statewide Competition, and the National Competition.

The operation of each Statewide Competition is the sole responsibility of the Statewide Host, and the Foundation takes no responsibility for running the Statewide Competition, including compliance with all federal, state, and local laws and regulations applicable to the Statewide Competition (collectively, “Applicable Law”). Please note Applicable Law may apply to the running of the Statewide Competition (e.g., laws on entry into competitions where there is a cash prize), and it is the sole responsibility of the Statewide Host to comply with all such Applicable Law.  While these Statewide Rules are intended to follow general best practices in competitions like the NCB Contest rounds, the Foundation makes no representation or warranty regarding the Statewide Rules’ compliance with Applicable Law and expressly disclaims any such warranty.

All questions or concerns related to a Statewide Competition should be submitted to the applicable Statewide Host, not the Foundation. Statewide Hosts are listed at nationalcivicsbee.org and are searchable by zip code. 

National Civics Bee®

Statewide Competition Round Rules ("Statewide Rules")

NO PURCHASE IS NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. IN NO EVENT WILL ANY PURCHASE INCREASE YOUR CHANCE OF WINNING. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED. ALL APPLICABLE FEDERAL, STATE, AND LOCAL LAWS AND REGULATIONS APPLY.

SPONSOR AND OTHER PARTIES; CERTAIN DEFINITIONS

The sponsor of this contest is the Institute for Governance and Civics at Florida State University (the “Sponsor” or the “Statewide Host”), which will host a National Civics Bee Statewide Competition, as defined below. Entities that support the Statewide Competition through a qualified corporate sponsorship payment or other contribution are not considered “Sponsors” for the purposes of these Statewide Rules.  The term “Foundation” shall refer to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation, which organizes and helps facilitate the National Civics Bee Competition.  As used herein, the term “Essay Round” refers to the essay contest that is the initial round of the National Civics Bee Competition; the term “Regional Competition” refers to a live regional competition as a round of the National Civics Bee Competition; the term “Statewide Competition” refers to a live statewide, districtwide, or territory-wide competition as a round of the National Civics Bee Competition, hosted by the Sponsor and governed by these Statewide Rules; the term “State Competition” refers to a live state finals competition as a round of the National Civics Bee Competition; and the term “NCB Contest” refers collectively to all rounds of the National Civics Bee Competition. As used herein, “state” commonly refers to any U.S. state, district, or territory participating in the NCB Contest. 

ELIGIBILITY

To be eligible to participate in the Statewide Competition, a participant must (a) be a resident of Florida, and (b) have been selected as one of fifteen (15) Statewide Finalists qualified to advance from the Essay Round. All Statewide Competition participants must be Statewide Finalists, residing within the state served by the Statewide Host.  

The following persons are not eligible to participate in the Statewide Competition: (1) employees, officers, and directors of the Sponsor (“Sponsor Persons”); (2) employees, officers, and directors of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation (“Foundation Persons”); (3) employees, officers and directors of the Chamber of Commerce of the United States of America (“Chamber Persons”); (4) Immediate Family Members or individuals residing in the household (whether or not related) of any Sponsor Persons, Foundation Persons and/or Chamber Persons; (5) Immediate Family Members of a judge of any round of the NCB Contest; and (6) individuals residing in the household of a judge of any round of the NCB Contest (whether or not related to the judge).     

For the purposes of these Statewide Rules, “Immediate Family Member” includes any parent, legal guardian, spouse, child, and sibling.

TERM

The Statewide Competition will take place on Tuesday, June 30, 2026 at 4pm at Augustus B. Turnbull III Florida State Conference Center located at 555 W Pensacola, St. Tallahassee, FL, 32304. By participating, each participant agrees to the Statewide Rules and warrants their compliance with all requirements set forth in the Essay Round Rules and Statewide Rules.

ENTRY PROCEDURE

The NCB Contest is made up of several rounds, each of which is governed by its own set of rules. Any provisions set out in these Statewide Rules regarding other rounds are for informational purposes only and do not constitute rules with respect to any other round.

Participation in the first round, the Essay Round, is a prerequisite to entrance into the Statewide Competition. During the Essay Round of the NCB Contest, each entrant is assigned to a Statewide Host, where applicable, based on their address as submitted with their essay.

The fifteen (15) highest-scoring entrants from the Essay Round will be notified of their qualification to advance to the Statewide Competition and will be invited to participate in the live Statewide Competition. The parent or legal guardian of each invited finalist must accept the invitation and execute and return all required consents and publicity releases to the Statewide Host, all within ten (10) days of notification or the finalist will be disqualified, and alternate finalist(s) will be chosen. 

The fifteen (15) qualified finalists from the Essay Round (including alternates) who timely accept their invitations and return all required consents and releases as provided above are referred to in these Statewide Rules as the “Statewide Finalists.” 

By accepting an invitation to participate in the Statewide Competition, each Statewide Finalist and their parent/guardian agree to these Statewide Rules.   

FORMAT OF COMPETITION

Statewide Finalists must appear in person and arrive on time (i.e., prior to the start of the first scheduled event) for the Statewide Competition, which will be held on Tuesday, June 30, 2026. The Statewide Finalists will compete in the live Statewide Competition, which will determine the first, second, and third-place winners. 

The Statewide Competition will be made up of three rounds, including two rounds of civics-based quiz questions. Each correct answer will receive one point, and each incorrect answer or unanswered question will receive zero points. The five highest-scoring Statewide Finalists from the first two rounds will participate in a third round of the Statewide Competition which will include questions from a panel of judges regarding the Statewide Finalists’ essay submissions. The Statewide Finalist with the highest cumulative score at the end of the third round will be determined as the First-Place Winner of the Statewide Competition. Second-Place Winners and Third-Place Winners will also be announced based on the highest cumulative scores from all three rounds. If two or more Participants are tied at a score affecting advancement to the next round of Competition, the Statewide Host shall determine the method of resolution in its discretion.

In participating states with three or more Regional Competitions, the top three winners from each Regional Competition will advance to compete in the State Competition. In participating states with only two Regional Competitions, five finalists will advance from each competition, for a total of ten (10) participants at the State Competition. In participating states with only one Regional Competition, ten (10) finalists from the Regional Competition will advance to the State Competition. In participating states with only a Statewide Competition, the twenty (20) qualified finalists from the Essay Round will be invited to compete at the Statewide Competition.

The first-place winners from each State Competition and Statewide Competition will be invited to compete at the National Championship.

Each round of the NCB Contest is governed by its own set of rules. Regional, State, Statewide, and National Competitions are each subject to separate rules, terms, and conditions, and may be hosted by different organizations. Prizes may be won in each round and may vary. Participants should consult the applicable rules for specific details on each round. 

RESPECTFUL CONTENT & CONDUCT REQUIREMENTS

Central to the NCB Contest is the belief that civic engagement begins with thoughtful dialogue. This competition encourages students to express their views and analyze issues in ways that elevate the conversation and foster mutual understanding. To support this, we’ve provided the following content requirement to promote respectful debate and critical thinking.

When addressing community issues during the live competition portions of the Statewide Competition and other stages of the NCB Contest, participants should focus on the nature and impact of problems and challenges and at all times must avoid blaming, disparaging, identifying as the cause of the problem or as a contributor to the problem, or otherwise criticizing, any specific individual, company, organization, governmental body, or government official, by name or in any other identifiable manner ("Targeted Criticisms"). Judges will consider the intent and overall substance of a response when determining whether a comment constitutes a Targeted Criticism, and the Statewide Host shall make the final determination regarding enforcement and any resulting action. NCB Contest participants that include Targeted Criticisms in their live judging responses may be disqualified, or other appropriate action may be taken, as determined by the Statewide Host in its sole and absolute discretion, taking into account the nature and context of the response. This requirement supports the competition’s mission to promote constructive civic dialogue and respectful engagement with community issues. This provision is intended to promote civil discourse, not to penalize honest expression of opinions.

Illustrative Examples: 

Acceptable: "There are only a few activities for teens in our town, which can lead to boredom and risky behavior." 

May be disqualified: "The Parks Director refuses to build anything fun for teens." 

Acceptable: "There is limited access to internet in our town, which makes it difficult to do homework."

May be disqualified: "Internet Provider X is horrible and should go out of business."

Participants must act in good faith and uphold the spirit of fair competition. The following actions are prohibited and depending on severity and context may result in disqualification:

          •        Use of unauthorized devices, notes or communication during competition.

          •        Talking or signaling during questions.

          •        Deliberate stalling or attempts to gain extra time.

          •        Receiving or providing external assistance.

Parents/Guardians who disrupt play, attempt to signal answers, or otherwise interfere will be asked to leave immediately. Any attempt to influence competition outcomes may be referred to appropriate authorities.

All judges will sign a Code of Conduct prior to participating in the Statewide Competition, confirming they will act impartially and evaluate competitors solely on the published rubrics. Each judge will also complete a disclosure statement affirming the absence of any personal relationship that could be reasonably perceived as favoritism.

STATEWIDE COMPETITION PRIZES

Each Statewide Finalist that participates in the Statewide Competition will receive a certificate (which does not have any monetary/retail value), commemorating their participation.

There will be one (1) third-place winner of the Statewide Competition (“Third-Place Winner”). The Third-Place Winner will receive a separate trophy (approximate retail value of $250) and a cash prize of $250.

There will be one (1) second-place winner of the Statewide Competition (“Second-Place Winner”). The Second-Place Winner will receive a separate trophy (approximate retail value of $250) and a cash prize of $500.

There will be one (1) first-place winner of the Statewide Competition (“First-Place Winner”). The First-Place Winner will receive a separate trophy (approximate retail value of $250 and a cash prize of $1000.

In some cases, the Statewide Host may be able to provide financial support to allow participants to travel to the Statewide Competition; however, such support is not guaranteed, and participants should contact the Statewide Host for more details. The right to receive prizes may not be transferred, encumbered, or assigned by any winner or participant. No cash equivalent will be provided in lieu of non-cash prizes. The Sponsor reserves the right to substitute prizes in the event of unavailability, and there is no guarantee that any such substituted prize will be of equal value to the prize it replaced.

To claim a cash prize, the parent or legal guardian of the cash prize winner must provide a valid taxpayer identification number to the Sponsor. Payment of all federal, state, and local taxes are solely the responsibility of the winner(s) and the parent or legal guardian of the winner(s). 

ODDS OF WINNING

This is a skills-based contest, and chance plays no part in the determination of Statewide Competition winners.  The odds of being selected as a Statewide Finalist or being selected as one of the top three winners of the Statewide Competition may vary greatly and will depend on the number of participants received, as well as the knowledge and skills of all participants.

PUBLICITY RELEASE

Each Statewide Finalist competing in the Statewide Competition and their parent or legal guardian (collectively, “Licensors”), hereby grants the Foundation, the Sponsor, and all hosts of other NCB Contest rounds, as well as any corporate or individual benefactors of NCB Contest rounds (collectively, “Licensees”), a non-exclusive, royalty-free, perpetual, irrevocable, worldwide, transferable license to edit, telecast, exhibit, display, rerun, reproduce, use, syndicate, license, print, distribute, and otherwise exploit any photos, videos, or audio taken at the Statewide Competition, or any portion thereof, in any manner, and in any and all formats and media now known or hereafter devised, without payment to Licensors or any third party. Licensors represent and warrant that (a) the person approving these Statewide Rules as the parent or legal guardian of the minor Statewide Finalist participating in the Statewide Competition is the parent or lawful legal guardian of such minor; (b) Licensors hereby provide express consent for such minor and information about such minor to appear in any materials related to the NCB Contest or any related event or ceremony; and (c) Licensors have the full legal right, power, and authority to grant this license. Information about the Statewide Finalist competing in the Statewide Competition that may be used by Licensee under this license may include, without limitation, their name, address (city and state only), image, likeness, photograph, voice, biographical information, and/or any statements made by them regarding the NCB Contest, the Sponsor, or any other person or entity related to the NCB Contest. The licenses described above in this paragraph do not provide any license or other rights with respect to the Statewide Finalist’s essay submitted in the Essay Round.

GENERAL RULES

Neither the Sponsor, the Foundation, nor any affiliated entities or agents are responsible for any illegible, lost, stolen, late, damaged, incomplete, mutilated, or misdirected submissions or other documents. Participants are responsible for ensuring proper contact information has been submitted and is maintained throughout their participation in the NCB Contest to allow communications about the NCB Contest.

Materially erroneous or false information provided during the Statewide Competition will result in immediate disqualification of the participant, in the Sponsor’s sole and final discretion. During the Statewide Competition, the Sponsor otherwise retains the right to disqualify any participant for sufficient cause, in its sole and final discretion.  Any submissions indicating that the participant or others could be in danger may be reported to the appropriate authorities.

If, for any reason, the Statewide Competition is not capable of running as planned, the Sponsor reserves the right in its sole and final discretion to cancel, reschedule, terminate, modify, or suspend the Statewide Competition at any time. The Sponsor reserves the right to amend these Statewide Rules at any time.

By participating in the Statewide Competition, you understand that there is no joint venture, partnership, employment, or agency relation between you and the Sponsor or the Foundation arising from your participation.

If a scoring error is identified during or after a round of Competition, the Statewide Host may take corrective action in its discretion, including adjusting scores or advancement, provided such action is consistent with fairness and the integrity of the Competition. All decisions of the judges and the Statewide Host, including those rendered in response to concerns or objections raised during the Statewide Competition (collectively, “Contest Decisions”), shall be made by the Statewide Host in its role as administrator of the Competition and are final and binding. Participants specifically acknowledge and agree that Contest Decisions are not subject to challenge, review, or further appeal in any forum whatsoever, including but not limited to any court of law or other tribunal, to the maximum extent allowed by Applicable Law. 

Subject to their eligibility and full compliance with these Statewide Rules, participants with disabilities will not be excluded from any Statewide Competition unless the participant poses a direct threat to the health or safety of others that cannot be eliminated by a reasonable modification. Statewide Hosts will strive to accommodate all requests for reasonable modifications to the Statewide Rules or other aspects of the Statewide Competition, for participants with disabilities who timely request a modification. All requests for modification must be made in writing, using the Modification Request Form provided by the Statewide Host, and must be submitted to the Statewide Host at least ten (10) business days before the Statewide Competition date. Late requests may be considered by the Statewide Host in its discretion where practicable and where doing so does not compromise the fairness or integrity of the Competition.

Entrants agree that personal data, especially name and address, may be processed, shared, and otherwise used for the purposes and within the context of the Statewide Competition, to report Statewide Competition results to the Foundation, and for any other purposes outlined in these Statewide Rules. The data may also be used by the Sponsor to verify the participant’s First Name, Last Name, School Name, ZIP Code, Parent/Guardian’s Phone Number/Email, or to otherwise verify the participant’s eligibility to participate in the Statewide Competition. Participants have the right to access, review, rectify, or cancel any personal data held by the Sponsor by writing to the Sponsor at Institute for Governance and Civics - Florida State University, Hecht House, 634 W. Call Street, Tallahassee, FL 32306 or igc@fsu.edu.  The foregoing is subject to the NCB Contest’s Privacy Policy [Privacy Policy Link], and in the event of any conflict the terms of the Privacy Policy shall prevail. 

LIMITATION OF LIABILITY 

By entering the Statewide Competition, each participant and their parents/guardians agree that (1) any and all disputes, claims, and causes of action arising out of or in connection with the Statewide Competition, or any prizes awarded, shall be resolved individually without resort to any form of class action; (2) any claims, judgment, and awards shall be limited to actual out-of-pocket costs incurred, including costs associated with entering the Statewide Competition, but in no event attorneys’ fees; and (3) under no circumstances will any participant be permitted to obtain any award for, and participant hereby waives all rights to claim punitive, incidental, or consequential damages, and any and all rights to have damages multiplied or otherwise increased and any other damages, other than damages for actual out-of-pocket expenses; however, in no event shall the liability of the Sponsor exceed $100. Each participant and their parents/guardians acknowledge that the Statewide Competition is conducted by the Sponsor, and not by the Foundation. As such, the participants and their parents/guardians will hold harmless, release, and discharge, on behalf of themselves, and their heirs, executors, and assigns, the Foundation and any affiliated entities, and their respective officers, directors, members, employees, agents, affiliates, successors, and assigns, from any and all claims, demands, lawsuits, expenses, injuries, losses, damages, and any other liability of any kind, of or to participants/parents/guardians and any other person or property, or claims based upon directly or indirectly arising out of or in connection with the Statewide Competition, even if due to the negligence, omission, or other fault of the Foundation and any affiliated entities, and their respective officers, directors, members, employees, agents, affiliates, successors, and assigns.

WINNERS LIST

To request a list of the names of the top three winners of the Statewide Competition, send a self-addressed, stamped envelope to Institute for Governance and Civics - Florida State University, Hecht House, 634 W. Call Street, Tallahassee, FL 32306

Please direct any questions about these Statewide Rules to the Statewide Host, by email to igc@fsu.edu.