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BUENA VISTA, Colorado – Middle school students from Buena Vista-area schools competed in the 2023 National Civics Bee regional competition on Tuesday. The event was hosted by the Buena Vista Chamber of Commerce in partnership with the Colorado Chamber of Commerce and the Civic Trust of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation.
Students competed with their peers in a live quiz event and answered questions from judges to test their civics knowledge. The top three finalists from the Buena Vista competition will have the chance to participate in the state-level competition hosted by the Colorado Chamber of Commerce in Denver on May 19, 2023.
Winners of the Buena Vista-area civics bee include:
- First place: Joseph Drexler, Darren Patterson Christian Academy
- Second place: Maya Lyle, Buena Vista Middle School
- Third place: Andee Quilico, Buena Vista Middle School
“It is an honor to bring our young people the opportunity to engage and connect with the issues that impact them,” said Buena Vista Chamber President and CEO Heather Rupska. “We hope that the Civics Bee will broaden participation in our democratic process and inspire our youth to stay engaged to continue strengthening our local economy and our community.”
The first-place winner of the local competition received a $500 cash prize, and all three finalists are invited to participate in the statewide competition. All participants in the state competition will receive a tablet device as a prize from the Colorado Chamber. The top three winners of the state competition will receive cash prizes of $1,000 for first place, $500 for second place, and $250 for third place.
“We’re thrilled to recognize young Coloradans interested in civic engagement and to inspire the next generation to be involved in shaping our communities,” said Colorado Chamber President and CEO Loren Furman. “We congratulate this year’s winners from the Buena Vista competition and look forward to seeing them next month in Denver!”
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The Colorado Chamber of Commerce champions free enterprise, a healthy business environment and economic prosperity for all Coloradans. It is the only business association that works to improve the business climate for all sizes of business from a statewide, multi-industry perspective. What the Colorado Chamber accomplishes is good for all businesses, and that’s good for the state’s economy. It was created in 1965 based on the merger with the Colorado Manufacturers’ Association.
The Buena Vista Chamber of Commerce (BVCC) is a non-profit organization dedicated to supporting the business community. An accomplished Board of Directors guides the organization, with efforts carried out by a dedicated staff. BVCC is beginning to have member-driven committees that help to guide the Chamber’s goals and efforts.