On Veterans Day, middle schoolers from 39 states competed to be crowned the next champion of the National Civics Bee.

I was fortunate enough to emerge as the champion of 2024’s inaugural edition of the Bee. As I walked off the stage then, it hit me that I, an eighth grader from Alaska, had just shown the country that young people can and should shape our democracy.

My journey into civics started with something deeply personal. I was born with a congenital condition that requires costly dental procedures. Too often, insurance companies refuse to cover them.

Instead of just accepting that reality, my family and I began working to pass the Ensuring Lasting Smiles Act in Congress. I told my story to lawmakers, explained why the bill mattered and asked them to act. Now, the bill has bipartisan sponsors in the House and Senate.

Civics isn’t just about textbooks or history tests. And it’s not something we have to wait until we’re adults to do.

The National Civics Bee brought together students from across the country to test our belief in our own power to make a difference. The chance to win a $100,000 scholarship called the Bill Daniels National Civics Award was certainly a draw, too.

During the competition, I loved seeing young people care about how our government truly works.

Sometimes, my classmates ask, “Why should we learn civics if we can’t even vote yet?” My answer is simple. Civics is the toolkit for shaping our communities and our country. 

Anyone can learn the basics: how a bill becomes law, or what local municipal bodies or school boards have the power to do in their communities. Anyone can speak up by writing to their lawmakers or sharing their ideas with elected officials. Anyone can get involved by helping at polling places on Election Day or volunteering in their community. Anyone can inspire others to become civically active and help friends, family and other community members understand why self-government matters.

Civics is the tool that lets us build the future we want. 

Too many students never get a front-row seat to our democracy in action. Civics education often gets squeezed, buried between test prep and other subjects. The National Civics Bee was launched by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the Daniels Fund to change that.

Adults have an important role to play. They can make civics a real priority in classrooms, support programs like the Civics Bee, and listen when young people speak up. 

For me, the Civics Bee is just the beginning. I’ll keep working to pass the Ensuring Lasting Smiles Act and encouraging my peers to step into civic life now, not later.

Democracy isn’t a spectator sport. Young people don’t have to wait until adulthood to bring about change. We can start right now. And our country will be stronger for it.

Emily Brubaker is a ninth grader from Anchorage, Alaska, and the 2024 National Civics Bee champion. For more information, visit NationalCivicsBee.org. This piece first ran in Newsweek.