National Civics Bee - Oklahoma State Finals
The State Chamber is partnering with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation and two local chambers to host a first-of-its-kind statewide civics competition. The National Civics Bee encourages young 6th, 7th, and 8th-grade students to engage in civics and contribute to their communities.
The competition, modeled on traditional spelling and geography bees, allows students to win recognition and earn cash prizes by sharing ideas for improving their communities and showing their enthusiasm for civics. The National Civics Bee Oklahoma State Finals winner will be invited to Washington D.C. to compete in the inaugural National Civics Bee national championship in the Fall 2024.
Check out the National Civics Bee State Finals photo album here.
Date:
Wednesday, August 21, 2024
Location:
Will Rogers Theatre
4322 N Western Ave, Oklahoma City OK 73118
Time:
9 – 10 a.m. Check-In and Breakfast (light breakfast to be served)
10 – 11:30 a.m. National Civics Bee Oklahoma State Finals
Click here for the agenda.
Judges:
House Majority Leader Jon Echols
In 2012, Jon Echols was elected to represent House District 90 in the Oklahoma House of Representatives.
Jon Echols graduated from the University of Oklahoma with a Political Science degree. He then went on to Oklahoma City University School of Law, where he received numerous academic awards and graduated first in his class.
Jon Echols, his wife Kristen, and their three children attend Capitol Hill Baptist Church.
Echols has championed numerous conservative causes during his 11 years in the House. He currently serves as House Majority Floor Leader and is the longest-serving Majority Floor Leader in state history.
Oklahoma Supreme Court Justice Steven W. Taylor
From 1984 to 1994, Taylor served as Associate District Judge in the 18th Judicial District. In 1991 he was the first Associate District Judge ever to be elected President of the Oklahoma Judicial Conference. From 1994 to 2004, he served as Chief Judge of the 18th Judicial District, which encompasses Pittsburg and McIntosh Counties. In his over 20 years as a trial judge, he presided over more than 500 jury trials, including numerous murder trials. Most notably, he presided over the state trial of the Oklahoma City bombing case. Justice Taylor retired from the Supreme Court in 2016 after 33 years of judicial service.
Former House Minority Leader Emily Virgin
Emily was born and raised in Norman, Oklahoma. She attended the University of Oklahoma for both her undergraduate degree and law degree. She graduated magna cum laude from OU in 2009 with a degree in political science and a minor in criminology. Emily was also selected as a member of Phi Beta Kappa. She graduated with distinction from OU Law in 2013 and was also a member of the Oklahoma Law Review.
In 2010, while attending law school, Emily was elected to the Oklahoma House of Representatives to serve District 44 in central Norman. She was elected by her peers to be the House Minority Leader in 2018 and served in that role until she reached her term limit in 2022.
During her time in the House of Representatives, Emily received awards and honors from Freedom Oklahoma, ACLU of Oklahoma, the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education, the Oklahoma Bar Association, and the Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy.
Emily now serves as the Director of Advocacy & Government Relations at Human Rights for Kids, a national non-profit focused on the promotion and protection of the human rights of children in the criminal justice system.
Emily serves her community as a board member of Crossroads Youth & Family Services and SunHive Collective. She is a past board member of Bridges of Norman, Thunderbird Clubhouse, and the Norman Arts Council.
Registration
Online registration is now closed but on-site registration will be available at the event.
Registration deadline: Friday, August 16, 2024
