Congratulations to six of our students in our 7/8 class upon the selection of their essays for the National Civics Bee! This year the 7th and 8th graders entered the first ever National Civics Bee in Michigan, sponsored locally by the Grand Rapids Chamber of Commerce. Each student studied an issue he or she felt was important for the community and wrote an essay about the problem and a proposed solution with attention to Founding Principles and civic virtues. The larger goal of the contest is to engage students in their communities and build their awareness of how citizens’ voices and involvement are crucial to the flourishing of society.