Voice of Business Blog

Our community thrives on the foundations of civics, and we are excited to bring the National Civics Bee® back to our community for the second year to encourage middle schoolers to learn about American democracy, engage constructively in their communities, and build trust in their fellow citizens and institutions.

In partnership with The Civic Trust® of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation, we are proud to bring the National Civics Bee® to Greater Rochester, NY. This competition invites middle schoolers in 6^th, 7^th, and 8^th grades from public, private, charter, and home schools to participate in a first-round civics essay competition. Distinguished community leaders from across the country will serve as volunteer Essay Judges to review the essay submissions, and the top 20 students will be selected to advance to a local in-person live event. The local competition will feature two rounds of civics questions followed by a Q&A round, providing a platform for students to showcase their civics knowledge.

We are looking for a cross-section of community leaders, including government officials, business and community leaders, and educators, to review the hundreds of essays we anticipate we’ll receive, and as a Greater Rochester Chamber member you are invited to participate. By being an Essay Judge, you’ll play a pivotal role in determining which 20 students advance as Local Finalists.

Essay Judging will take place between February 6-12, 2025, and we are requesting a flexible commitment of approximately 3 hours to read and score essays online. Please see the attached Essay Judge Flyer and the 2025 Essay Guide (linked) to learn more.