Lake County Gazette

State Senator Dan McConchie announced an essay contest in a Facebook post dated November 8, emphasizing the importance of civics education. "Learning about civics empowers students to understand their rights and responsibilities, fostering informed and engaged citizens," he said.

"The Lake Zurich Area Chamber of Commerce has partnered with The Civic Trust for the #NationalCivicsBee, which is an essay competition for middle schoolers (6th-8th graders," said Dan Mcconchie, according to Facebook. "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."

According to McConchie's post, the National Civics Bee is an essay contest followed by a live Q&A session. 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.

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

McConchie also provided a link to the Lake Zurich Area Chamber of Commerce’s (LZCC) website dedicated to the National Civics Bee. The website explains that LZCC has partnered with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation to host this competition for sixth through eighth-grade students. Finalists will be invited to Washington D.C. for the national championship in Fall 2025.

The contest is open to Illinois students in grades six through eight who are tasked with writing an essay on using civics to improve their communities. Submissions are due by February 4, 2025.

The essays must address three specific questions within 600-750 words and include tips for strengthening submissions. 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.

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.