Image courtesy of the Mid-Maine Chamber of Commerce’s Facebook page.
This article was written by Waterville Senior High School rising senior Penelope Graham, who is also a co-chair of the Waterville Youth Council (a volunteer organization for the Maine State Civics Bee Finals).
The Maine State Finals for the National Civics Bee were held on June 17, 2026, at the Gordon Center for Creative and Performing Arts on the Colby College campus in Waterville. The Mid-Maine Chamber of Commerce hosted the 2026 Civics Bee in partnership with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation and The Civic Trust, marking the first year Maine has participated in the national competition.
Open to sixth-, seventh-, and eighth-grade students, the competition required contestants to each write an essay about a community issue and offer a solution that demonstrates understanding of both civic virtues (e.g., humility, responsibility, etc.) and a founding principle (e.g., natural rights, consent of the governed, rule of law, etc.).
The final round of competition for the state brought together 17 students from five Maine schools. The top three winners were selected based on their demonstrated civic knowledge, as assessed through two rounds of multiple-choice questions and a spoken presentation of their essay.
The overall winner was Marin Larsen from Mt. Ararat Middle School, whose essay proposed consolidating schools in her home district and making key repairs to others. Larsen received $ 1,000 and will advance to the National Civics Bee in Washington, D.C., this fall.
The second-place winner was Ryan Coulon, also from Mt. Ararat Middle School, whose essay identified speeding in the Cundys Harbor area in Harpswell as being a key community issue. Coulon received $500.
The third-place winner was Tristan Singh from Rose M. Gaffney Elementary School in Machias. His essay addressed the need for a city website in East Machias. Singh was the only contestant who answered every question correctly in both rounds. Singh received $250.
The top three winners all received a trophy, certificate, and Civics Bee T-shirt.
The first Civics Bee took place during the 2022-2023 school year, and states from across the country have participated every year since then.
The Mid-Maine Chamber of Commerce says it plans to host the Civics Bee again next year. The application portal for those interested in participating will open in the early fall. More information will be available here.
This article was submitted by Penelope Graham on behalf of the Waterville Youth Council. To submit a good news story to the Maine DOE, please fill out the good news submission form.
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