Students Compete as Southeast Kentucky Chamber Hosts Eastern Kentucky Regional Competition of National Civics Bee®

PIKEVILLE, KY (April 18, 2025) — The Southeast Kentucky Chamber of Commerce held the Eastern Kentucky Regional Competition of the National Civics Bee® at the Mountain Arts Center on Thursday, April 17, 2025. The next stage of the competition will see regional finalists compete at the Kentucky State Finals held at the Kentucky State Fair in August. The first-place winner of the state competition will advance to the National Finals in Washington, D.C. to compete for a chance to win a grand prize valued at $100,000.
 
The National Civics Bee® consists of four phases, beginning with an essay competition. Essay finalists advance to Phase II which is a regional competition against other students in their state. Phase III advances the top three regional finalists from each region to a state-wide competition. Finally, Phase IV takes place at the US Chamber of Commerce in Washington D.C. with the state champions all competing for the title of national champion.
 
The Eastern Kentucky Regional Competition is open to students from 138 elementary and middle schools across 26 counties in Eastern Kentucky. This year’s competition featured ten 6th, 7th, and 8th grade finalists from four counties who had identified problems and issues affecting their communities and how they could utilize the founding principles and civic virtues to advance positive change. Regional competitions begin with two rounds of civics-based multiple-choice quizzes. The competitors completed the live quiz on Samsung Galaxy tablets provided by event sponsor, Appalachian Wireless. Other sponsors include double kwik, the Mountain Arts Center, and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation.
 
After completing quiz Rounds I and II, the top five highest scoring students advance to Round III of the competition. In Round III the finalists must give oral presentations summarizing their essay before answering a series of questions from a panel of judges. This year’s live event judges were Kathy King Allen, Chief Community Officer with the Foundation for Appalachian Kentucky; Tina Terry, Director of Academic Programs & Dual Credit at Big Sandy Community and Technical College; and Dr. Tyler Syck, Assistant Professor of Politics and Director of the Center for Public Service at the University of Pikeville. The event emcee was Dalton Hatfield, Director of External Affairs for Kentucky Power.
 
The competition’s winners are third-place winner Landon Thacker of Jenkins Middle-High School in Letcher County, second-place winner Amelia Dillon from Johns Creek Elementary School in Pike County, and returning champion and first-place winner Javan Dotson from Pikeville Independent in Pike County. Third-place took home $125, second-place took home $250, and the first-place winner received a cash prize of $500.
 
All three winners received trophies and will go on to compete at the State Competition against 15 other finalists from 5 other regions in Kentucky. Each student who competed went home with the Samsung tablets provided by Appalachian Wireless and a $25 gas card from double kwik, along with a regional competition medal and certificate.
 
“I’ve spent a lot of my planning periods with students who are competing in the Civics Bee, and their other classmates who want to help them out. We will go in just about every day and we practice civics over a month. This is definitely a program I will do next year and every year for as long as I’m a teacher,” said Jon Gibson, a teacher at May Valley Elementary.”
 
Gibson went on to say, “I think it’s a good opportunity for these kids to get out, especially when they are getting ready to go to high school, and it looks good on a résumé, and it really helps them with learning the content.”
 
“As a chamber dedicated to empowering our region and cultivating future leaders, we are proud to support the National Civics Bee®,” said Jordan Gibson, president and CEO of the Southeast Kentucky Chamber. “This initiative not only strengthens civic education but also instills in our youth the values of citizenship, responsibility, and active civic engagement. By championing programs like the Civics Bee, we are investing in the long-term vitality and leadership of our communities.”
 
The National Civics Bee®, a program of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation’s The Civic Trust®, is an annual nonpartisan competition aimed at improving civics education and literacy among middle school students, their families, and communities. The National Civics Bee® helps elevate civics as a national priority through a network of state and local chambers across the country. The National Civics Bee® is made possible through the generous support of its founding partner, the Daniels Fund, Citizen Travelers, and other funders.
 
For more information on the National Civics Bee® and how you or your student can compete in future competitions, please visit the Chamber’s website at www.sekchamber.com/nationalcivicsbee.
 
The Southeast Kentucky Chamber of Commerce is located at 178 College Street in Pikeville and serves more than 500 businesses in eight Eastern Kentucky Counties: Floyd, Johnson, Knott, Lawrence, Letcher, Magoffin, Martin, and Pike. The Chamber’s mission is to serve the businesses of Southeastern Kentucky through a commitment to networking, advocacy, education, and collaboration as we partner together to enhance the business climate in our region.