California student wins first regional civics bee competition

Reagan Kemmerer, a student from St. Junipero Serra Catholic School, won the first-ever regional civics bee competition in California at the Nixon Library on March 12, 2025. She received a $500 prize and will advance to the state finals in June. The competition featured 20 middle school students answering civics questions using iPads. Kemmerer and the top finishers, Arlo James Fravien and Karishna Gopinathan, will represent their region at the state level, with opportunities to compete nationally. California is now among 40 states participating in the National Civics Bee, which aims to promote civic engagement among youth. The program began as a pilot in 2022 and is expected to expand to all 50 states by 2026.