{"id":3622,"date":"2026-07-23T19:39:14","date_gmt":"2026-07-23T19:39:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/usmovingexpertss.com\/?p=3622"},"modified":"2026-07-23T19:39:14","modified_gmt":"2026-07-23T19:39:14","slug":"south-carolina-students-show-off-knowledge-at-national-civics-bee-state-finals-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/usmovingexpertss.com\/?p=3622","title":{"rendered":"South Carolina students show off knowledge at National Civics Bee state finals"},"content":{"rendered":"<article><!-- --><!-- --><!-- WPS-5038 -- removed the script from WPS and added the placeholder for trinity player --><!-- --><!-- --><!-- --><!-- --><!-- --><!-- --><!-- CONTENT --><!--[--><!--[--><\/p>\n<p>On the morning of July 23, seven middle school students from across the state displayed more civics knowledge than many internet users put together.<\/p>\n<p>Read more <a href=\"https:\/\/usmovingexpertss.com\/?p=3621\">South Carolina students show off knowledge at National Civics Bee state finals<\/a><\/p>\n<p><!-- --><!--]--><!--[--><\/p>\n<p>They were competing at South Carolina\u2019s inaugural edition of the National Civics Bee, a three-round contest where the middle school aged competitors answered a variety of civics questions and presented proposals for improving their communities, taking questions from a panel of judges.<\/p>\n<p><!-- --><!--]--><!--[--><\/p>\n<p>Riley Metcalfe, a 14-year-old student at Greenville\u2019s Christ Church Episcopal School that won a regional bee to qualify, took home the $1,000 prize.<\/p>\n<p><!--]--><!--[--><\/p>\n<p>Her proposal, based on an essay she wrote to apply for the regional bee, focused on lack of access to quality internet for low-income families in an increasingly digital world, or the digital divide.<\/p>\n<p><!-- --><!--]--><!--[--><\/p>\n<p>Metcalfe called for more widespread free public Wi-Fi, tech-lending libraries, digital literacy classes and strengthened rural broadband connections. She said she thought her personal passion and timely subject helped her stand out to the judges.<\/p>\n<p><!--]--><!--[--><\/p>\n<p>\u201cHaving the heart and having the knowledge about the topic really helped, I was able to create my proposal based off something that I have witnessed in my community,\u201d Metcalfe said. \u201cI had a proposal that was actionable and something that wasn\u2019t too far out and it was very current. The digital divide is a very current issue.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><!-- --><!--]--><!--[--><\/p>\n<p>Those judges included state senator Tameika Issac Devine, W. Keller Kissam from Dominion Energy, Sunny Philips from South Carolina Manufactures and Commerce, Linwood Thomas from Luck Companies, USC professor Christopher Tollefson and Allen Fore from Kinder Morgan.<\/p>\n<p><!-- --><!--]--><!--[--><\/p>\n<p>Fore, who has served as a judge at several state bees, said he believed it was the first event he\u2019d attended where all the contestants were young women.<\/p>\n<p><!--]--><!--[--><\/p>\n<p>Mary Capers Bledsoe, who serves as executive director of the Greenville-based South Carolina YMCA Youth in Government program and helped bring the bee to the state, said girls have been joining YIG programs at a slightly higher rate nationwide.<\/p>\n<p><!-- --><!--]--><!--[--><\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt\u2019s a self-selection program,\u201d Bledsoe said. \u201cThe fact we had a lot of young women didn\u2019t surprise me, but I was surprised to see seven young women, and they did beautifully.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Read more <a href=\"https:\/\/usmovingexpertss.com\/?p=3619\">SC man burned while using a gas can and later died. Estate now suing the company<\/a><\/p>\n<p><!-- --><!--]--><!--[--><\/p>\n<p>Bledsoe said her organization works with schools around the state on civic education and participation programs, serving about 2,500 students each year.<\/p>\n<p><!--]--><!--[--><\/p>\n<p>Bledsoe said she hopes the bee only gets bigger in subsequent years.<\/p>\n<p><!-- --><!--]--><!--[--><\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe are looking forward to bigger and better, more young people more regional bees next year,\u201d Bledsoe said. \u201cWe can\u2019t wait to see where this goes.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><!-- --><!--]--><!--[--><\/p>\n<p>The contest took place at USC\u2019s law school, hosted by former South Carolina governor and Nobel Peace Prize winner David Beasley, who said he hopes the contestants come away motivated to remain civically engaged and serve as leaders in communities.<\/p>\n<p><!--]--><!--[--><\/p>\n<p>\u201cI want to inspire them and help them understand that you can and you will make a difference,\u201d Beasley said. \u201cAll you\u2019ve got to do is step forward, speak out, be heard, do it respectfully, but know the systems and the principles and the values that build a democracy.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><!-- --><!--]--><!--[--><\/p>\n<p>Metcalfe said she saw immense value in civics education for all kinds of people, especially government officials.<\/p>\n<p><!-- --><!--]--><!--[--><\/p>\n<p>\u201cBefore you make the laws, you have to be able to express your ideas,\u201d Metcalfe said. \u201cYou have to be able to have civil discourse with other people, be respectful. Those civic virtues that we talk about are crucial to how our government works.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><!--]--><!--[--><\/p>\n<p>She said her study process, which included resources like the Civic Trust and Bill of Rights institute, taught her many different lessons.<\/p>\n<p><!-- --><!--]--><!--[--><\/p>\n<p>\u201cI\u2019ve learned an incredible amount of civic knowledge that I never knew before,\u201d Metcalfe said. \u201cI now know a lot more about how our government works, but I also learned how to properly have a conversation with people and advocate for your beliefs and how to create for a case for what you think should change in society\u201d<\/p>\n<p><!-- --><!--]--><!--[--><\/p>\n<p>Metcalfe is moving on to the national finals in Washington D.C. this fall, where she will represent South Carolina and compete for a $100,000 college scholarship.<\/p>\n<p>Read more <a href=\"https:\/\/usmovingexpertss.com\/?p=3617\">Despite opposition, Irmo approves $403K contract to triple Flock cameras<\/a><\/p>\n<p><!--]--><!--]--><!-- --><!-- --><!-- --><!-- --><\/article>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Hosted by former governor and Nobel Prize winner David Beasley, the Civics Bee State Finals challenged students on government, history and their goals.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":3620,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[18],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3622","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-education"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.6 - 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