You should have seen Keith Lee at the state finals.
Lee was the first place winner of the New Mexico Civics Bee this year. He previously came in second at the regional level. The state second place winner was Auburn Eichler, who had won first place last year.
Lee, a seventh grader from Albuquerque Academy, was animated, lively, confident, and, most of all, prepared. His topic was climate change, with focus on the issue of recycling batteries to reduce environmental harm. I was especially impressed that he was ready with a five-point response to one of the judges’ questions.
The Civics Bee took place just a few days after the finals of the National Spelling Bee, which were televised, and the difference between the events was notable. In the spelling bee, it’s easy to see that the students have studied and prepared intensively. At the national level, after less proficient contestants have been eliminated, the remaining spellers had to handle obscure words like the names of breeds of fish or birds that most of us have never heard. These bright kids had learned to analyze the origins of unfamiliar words and make educated guesses that were often correct.
The format of the Civics Bee is very different. The first step for each contestant is to write an essay on a topic the student chooses. Those who pass this first step must participate in a live question and answer session. The finalists must give a talk about their topic and answer questions from a panel of adult judges.
Judges at this year’s state competition included Rep. Alan Martinez, R-Rio Rancho; Ashley Wagner, New Mexico Oil and Gas Association; Dr. Ilia Rodríguez Nazario, UNM Communication and Journalism Department chair; and Dr. Jami Nelson-Nuñez, UNM Political Science Department chair.
The only problem with this competition was not enough school districts participating. The ten finalists came from Albuquerque, Las Cruces and Rio Rancho.
The Civics Bee is sponsored by the New Mexico Chamber of Commerce in partnership with The Civic Trust of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation.
Speaking to New Mexico Press Women some weeks earlier, NMCC President Rob Black said the number of participating school districts was similar to the number in 2023 — a handful. Last year was billed as a pilot year. This year, in my opinion, there should have been more.
A local Civics Bee event requires community support — not just financial sponsorship but active volunteer participation such as serving as judges on a local panel. This is an opportunity for the traditional stalwarts of the community to show their leadership — the local chamber of commerce, a bank or two, an auto dealership.
As our politics become more fraught with conflict and disinformation, an understanding of civics is of growing importance, and the Civics Bee is a fine way to encourage students to learn and engage. Since civic participation is what holds communities together, civics should be second only to literacy as a vital subject for young people to understand.
When I watched the spelling bee on TV, seeing those intelligent, self-disciplined kids on that podium, I found myself thinking that I’m looking at the next generation of scientists and neurosurgeons. One day I’ll be on a hospital gurney and the doctor who stares down at me will be someone who knows how to spell the names of several exotic fish.
Likewise, the kids in the Civics Bee are also in training. They will become the next generation of mayors, state legislators and probably governors. We ought to be expanding that training program.
Contact Merilee Dannemann through www.triplespacedagain.com.