Leesburg Middle School student wins the inaugural National Civics Bee®

Yousef Kiani, from J. Lupton Simpson Middle School in Leesburg, held off 20 other challengers to emerge as the winner of the first-ever National Civics Bee® in Loudoun competition at Morven Park in Leesburg.
 
Liam Gandhi, a student at Farmwell Station Middle School, finished a close second in the competition, followed by Michael Smith, a student at Blue Ridge Middle School.

A partnership with the U.S. Chamber Foundation, the National Civics Bee® in Loudoun is part of a national competition to encourage young Americans to increase their civic awareness and inspire them to engage constructively in their communities. All students in grades 6 through 8, whether in public, private, or home schools, are eligible to participate in the National Civics Bee.

“The Loudoun Chamber hosted The National Civics Bee® in Loudoun, celebrating the vital role of civic knowledge and engagement in our communities,” said Loudoun Chamber President Tony Howard. “Each of the 36 student essayists, 21 competitors, and five exceptional finalists showcased an inspiring grasp of civics and a genuine passion for community engagement. We couldn’t be prouder of their performance and their commitment to using civic awareness to create positive change in Loudoun—and beyond.”

The National Civics Bee consists of two components. The first is an essay competition, which concluded in February. Local community leaders from across the US read and scored over 10,000 essays. The Loudoun Chamber received 36 student essays. From that, 21 students were selected to compete in the National Civics Bee® in Loudoun competition on April 30, 2025.

The top three finalists at the National Civics Bee® in Loudoun will receive cash prizes, while  Kiani advances to the State Civics Bee finals in Williamsburg, VA, on June 7. The National Championship will take place in Washington, D.C. in November, where students across the U.S. will compete for $100,00 in prizes.

For more details on the National Civics Bee® in Loudoun, visit https://www.loudounchamber.org/civics-bee/.

A program of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation’s Civic Trust®, the National Civics Bee® is an annual nonpartisan competition to promote civics education and literacy among middle school students, their families, and communities. The National Civics Bee® in Loudoun is supported by the Morven Park Center for Civic Impact and the Loudoun School-Business Partnership Executive Council.