20 Louisa County Middle School (LCMS) students participated in the National Civics Bee on April 16, showcasing their knowledge of government, history, and civic engagement at the second annual event.

The National Civics Bee has recently expanded to all 50 states ahead of America’s 250th anniversary. Finalists who advance from regional and state rounds to the National Championship compete for cash prizes, trophies, and a $100,000 529 plan (a taxadvantaged investment account designed to save for future education expenses) for the first-place winner.

The 20 students who participated were the top essay finalists out of 166 submissions; they participated in two live quiz rounds, with five moving on to present topics identifying issues affecting their schools and communities and their solutions. Students were asked to connect their ideas to the values that shaped the country and outline civic virtues. Submissions touched on themes like litter and environmental concerns, public school improvements, and mental health and community safety.

Two historical figures from Virginia history helped run the event. Bill Barker, the Thomas Jefferson interpreter at Monticello, served as the guest emcee of the event and Patrick Henry Jolly, the fifth greatgrandson of Patrick Henry, one of the Founding Fathers of the United States, was a special guest. During an intermission, Jolly delivered Henry’s, “Give me liberty or give me death!” — a speech delivered in 1775 that convinced delegates in the Second Virginia Convention to deliver troops for the Revolutionary War.

The top three finishers in Louisa were 8th grader Hayden Williams, 8th grader Raegen Taylor, and 8th grader Ethan Haase. Respectively, they earned $500, $250, and $125.

A live event featuring two rounds of civics questions followed by another Q&A with judges will take place on July 24, 2026 at the Art Museum of Colonial Williamsburg. $1,000 will be awarded to the first-place finisher. The winner of that event will move on to the national competition in Washington D.C. in November where they will compete for the $100,000 529-plan prize.