The Top Three winners were recognized at the Western Kentucky Regional Competition of the National Civics Bee, hosted by the Paducah Area Chamber of Commerce. Fifteen finalists participated in the live competition on Saturday, April 20 at The Carson Center in Paducah. The Presidential Sponsors for the event were Data Records Management Services and The Carson Center.

Students represented nine area middle schools and were selected after submitting a 500-word essay about a problem facing their community and how a citizen might solve that problem.

After two rounds of multiple choice, civics-based quiz questions, the top five scorers advanced to the third round where they answered questions from a panel of judges about their essay.

The top five included: Ava Bogard, a seventh grader from Calloway County Middle School; Hillary Bohannon, an eighth grader from Calloway County Middle School; Sawyer Leet, a seventh grader from Lone Oak Middle School; Sam Marcum, an eighth grader from Paducah Middle School; and Ella Vandermeulen, an eighth grader from Lone Oak Middle School.

Bohannon was awarded first place and the $750 grand prize; Leet took second place and was awarded $500; and Bogard earned third place and received $250.

Other students who participated in the National Civics Bee included:

• Gauge Day, Browning Springs Middle School
• Emma Dee, St. Mary Middle School
• Lilly Gibson, South Hopkins Middle School
• Aleigha Hughes, James Madison Middle School
• Maddyx Jett, St. Mary Middle School
• Meredith Paxton, St. Mary Middle School
• Cole Shoulta, St. Mary Middle School
• Jackson Teal, Browning Springs Middle School
• Karsen Vaughan, Lewisburg School
• Connor Woods, Heath Middle School

All fifteen finalists participating in the National Civics Bee in Paducah received an Amazon Fire tablet, courtesy of event sponsor, Comcast.   

The Top Three winners will advance and compete against other middle school students from across the state at the Kentucky Chamber National Civics Bee during the Kentucky State Fair in Louisville on August 22. The three winners also received a $100 Visa gift card to be used to offset their travel expenses to the state competition, courtesy of event sponsor, Alpha Delta Kappa, KY Lambda Chapter, the International Honorary Organization for Women Educators.

The Paducah Chamber was chosen by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation to host the regional competition for the second consecutive year.