WARSAW, IN - Lakeview Middle School student Barrett Hodorek took top honors at the Indiana Civics Bee State Finals on July 30 at the Indiana Statehouse in Indianapolis. Barrett will represent Indiana at the National Civics Bee in Washington, D.C., November 10-11.
Barrett earned his spot in the state competition after winning the local Civics Bee hosted by the Kosciusko Chamber of Commerce this past April. His journey began in Lakeview’s honors English Language Arts classrooms, where students wrote argumentative essays on local civic issues with teachers Lynn Studebaker and April Boggs. Barrett’s project focused on keeping Indiana’s lakes clean, why it matters, and a plan to address the issue on a larger scale.
In preparation for the local competition, students met weekly during CORE time with coaches Brandon Murphy and Amanda Scroggs to further prepare. Barrett advanced alongside two other Lakeview students, Allison Goebel and Andrea Martinez-Lara, to compete at the state level. Allison will be entering 8th grade this year, while Andrea and Barrett will begin their freshman year at Warsaw Community High School.
At the state competition, students from across Indiana showcased their civics knowledge through live quiz rounds and persuasive presentations on community issues. Indiana Governor Mike Braun addressed participants, and Dr. Katie Jenner, Indiana Secretary of Education, served as one of the judges.
Barrett received $1,000 for his first-place finish. Olivia Warner from Woodside Middle School in Kendallville placed second, and Taytem Rivera from Hibberd Middle School in Richmond placed third.
The National Civics Bee, organized by The Civic Trust® of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation, aims to encourage middle school students to engage in civics and positively impact their communities.
For more information about the National Civics Bee, visit www.indianachamber.com/national-civics-bee.
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Photo Provided: Barrett Hodorek with parents Brian and Amber