Lake County Gazette

Illinois State Sen. Dan McConchie (R-IL-26) has announced an essay contest aimed to teach students about the importance of civics education.  

"Learning about civics empowers students to understand their rights and responsibilities, fostering informed and engaged citizens who can contribute meaningfully to their communities and democracy," McConchie said in a statement to Lake County Gazette. "The Lake Zurich Area Chamber of Commerce has partnered with The Civic Trust for the #NationalCivicsBee, which is an essay competition for middle schoolers (grades six to eight)." 

The contest tasks students with writing an essay about an idea on how to use civics to improve their communities. Submissions are due by February 4, 2025.

Screenshot of State Senator Dan McConchie's Nov. 8 Facebook post | State Senator Dan McConchie's Facebook page

The essays must address three specific questions using 600-750 words. Each essay will be reviewed by at least two judges, and the top 20 scorers will advance to participate in quiz rounds and Q&A sessions during the National Civics Bee.

The competition offers prizes at local, state, and national levels. At the local level, winners can receive between $125 and $500. State-level prizes range from $250 to $1,000, while national-level prizes range from $15,000 to $100,000. Finalists will be invited to Washington D.C. for the national championship in Fall 2025.

For more information, visit the Lake Zurich Area Chamber of Commerce website. 

McConchie was elected to represent Illinois' 26th district in the state senate in 2016 and became Senate minority leader in 2020. He serves on both the Senate Executive Committee and the Redistricting Committee.