Twenty El Paso County middle schoolers competed in the National Civics Bee on Saturday at The Broadmoor in Colorado Springs, a contest meant to teach students how to be good citizens.
According to the National Assessment of Educational Progress, less than 25% of students can name the three branches of government. And less than a third of U.S. adults over the age of 21 can pass the national citizenship test.
“In short, we have a crisis on our hands,” said John Suthers, board chair of the Daniels Fund, which hosted the competition along with the Colorado Chamber of Commerce. “How well we deal with it will determine if our form of government can continue to succeed.”
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