Staff Report / May 12, 2026
Three local students earned top honors at the inaugural Regional Civics Bee competition hosted by the Seneca County Chamber Community Foundation, securing spots in the statewide competition later this year in Albany. The event, held April 25 at the Northeast College of Health Sciences, featured 20 middle school students from communities across the Finger Lakes and western New York.
Felicity Crow of Geneva captured first place with a proposal focused on improving access to reading and literacy programs in local communities. Malaika Bynke of Dundee finished second after presenting an idea aimed at helping families develop cooking skills and gain better access to cooking supplies, while Penelope Galens of Penn Yan earned third place with a project centered on expanding access to art supplies and encouraging family involvement in the arts.
All three students attend Moodie’s School and will now advance to the New York State Civics Bee competition scheduled for July 1 at the Albany Capital Center. The statewide event is organized through a partnership between The Business Council of New York State and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation. The winner of the state competition will move on to the National Civics Bee championship in Washington, D.C., later this year.
Organizers say the National Civics Bee is designed to encourage middle school students to become more engaged in civics and community leadership by developing ideas to improve their communities. The competition combines essay writing, live presentations, and civics knowledge questions modeled after traditional academic bees.
The regional competition was hosted in partnership with the Seneca County Chamber Community Foundation and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation. Officials said the event was considered a success and plans are already underway to make the Regional Civics Bee an annual program in the Finger Lakes region.
