SPRING HILL, Tennessee–The Star News Education Foundation announced on Thursday that the winner of the 2020 National Constitution Bee will receive a $25,000 scholarship. The second and third place finishers will receive scholarships of $5,000 and $2,000. The event will be held at the Phoenix Park Hotel in Washington, D.C. on June 27, 2020.
Every student in the country in grades 8 through 12–whether they attend public school, public charter school, private school, or are home schooled–is eligible to compete in the 2020 National Constitution Bee program. Round One of this program will take place at the state level during April and May of this year.
Students who live in Michigan, Tennessee, Ohio, Minnesota, and Iowa will compete in these Round One state-level events:
- The Michigan National Constitution Bee, April 18, 2020, Royal Oak, Michigan (sponsored by the Founders Freedom Forum, The Janice Daniels Radio Program, the Michigan Chapter of U.S. Parents Involved in Education, and The Michigan Star)
- The Tennessee National Constitution Bee, April 25, 2020 (morning), Goodlettsville, Tennessee (sponsored by the Polk Foundation and The Tennessee Star)
- The Ohio National Constitution Bee, May 2, 2020, Columbus, Ohio (sponsored by The Ohio Star)
- The Minnesota National Constitution Bee, May 9, 2020, Minneapolis, Minnesota (sponsored by The Minnesota Sun)
- The Iowa National Constitution Bee, May 16, 2020, Des Moines, Iowa
Students who live in the other 45 states or Washington, D.C. will compete a single “At-Large” Round One event:
- The At-Large States National Constitution Bee, April 25, 2020 (afternoon), Goodlettsville, Tennessee
The top three finishers in each of these Round One state-level events will all receive:
- College scholarships ($3,000 for first place, $1,000 for second place, and $500 for third place)
- Invitations to compete in the Round Two final event (The 2020 National Constitution Bee on June 27) where they will compete for the additional scholarship prizes ranging from $25,000 to $2,000
- Round trip tickets for themselves and a parent to Washington, D.C.
- Lodging for themselves and a parent at The Phoenix Park Hotel.
Students will be competing individually for scholarships and invitations to the Round Two final event, but they will also be competing as team members to win points for their high school. The high school that accumulates the greatest number of points will win the state Constitution Bee championship.
Students can register to participate in the 2020 National Constitution Bee program here, and will be automatically assigned to a Round One state-level Constitution Bee.
The rules for competition can be found at The National Constitution Bee site here. The questions asked during the competition are based on The Guide to the Constitution and Bill of Rights for Secondary School Students.
The Star News Education Foundation is providing grants of 20 books each to up to 18 teachers around the country who commit to using The Guide to the Constitution and Bill of Rights for Secondary School Students and prepare their students to compete in the 2020 National Constitution Bee program. Details of how to apply for those grants can be found at The National Constitution Bee website here.
Parents, teachers, or local organizations who live in the 45 states where a Round One state-level Constitution Bee and are interested in holding one in 2020 are encouraged to contact us via email and apply for a license to host a Round One state-level Constitution Bee in their state. Applications to receive a license for the 2020 National Constitution Bee must be received by February 15, 2020. All applications will be reviewed for approval within ten days of receipt. Details of how to apply for a license agreement can be found at The National Constitution Bee website here.
Additional sponsorship opportunities are available for both Round One state-level events and Round Two, The National Constitution Bee.
The National Constitution Bee program began as a project of The Tennessee Star in 2017. It became a project of Star News Digital Media, Inc. in August 2018 when it acquired The Tennessee Star. In December 2019, Star News Digital Media transferred its ownership of textbooks and the National Constitution Bee to the newly formed Star News Education Foundation.
The first TennesseeStarConstitutionBee was held in 2017 at Sycamore High School of Cheatham County Schools in Pleasant View, Tennessee, the second was held in 2018 at the Williamson County Administration Building in Franklin, Tennessee. The third was held in 2019 at Metro Christian Academy in Goodlettsville, Tennessee, the site of the April 25, 2020 event, now known as The Tennessee National Constitution Bee, sponsored by The Tennessee Star and The Star News Education Foundation, which is Round One of the National Constitution Bee competition.
2017 Tennessee Star Constitution Bee winner Noel Farley took his trip to Washington, D.C. in October 2017, where he met with Federal Court of Appeals Judge Thomas Griffith.
2018 Tennessee Star Constitution Bee winner Cooper Moran took his trip to Washington, D.C. in July 2018, and was at the Capitol where he witnessed Supreme Court nominee, now Supreme Court Justice, Brett Kavanaugh’s first walk through the halls of the Capitol with Vice President Mike Pence on their way to meet the United States senators who would vote on his confirmation.
2019 Tennessee Star Constitution Bee winner Aryan Burns visited Washington, D.C. in the summer of 2019.
The Star News Education Foundation is a non-profit corporation founded by the management team of Star News Digital Media for the purpose of returning K-12 education in the United States to best in the world by 2030 by accomplishing seven key changes.
The National Constitution Bee is conducted as part of the foundation’s objectives related to one of those seven key changes, “Civics and the Constitution for Everyone.”
