The sponsor of this contest is the Minot Area Chamber EDC, at 1020 20th Ave SW Minot, ND (the “Sponsor” or the “Regional Host”), which will host a National Civics Bee Regional Competition, as defined below. Entities that support the Regional Competition through a qualified corporate sponsorship payment or other contribution are not considered “Sponsors” for the purposes of these Regional Rules.  The term “Foundation” shall refer to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation, which organizes and helps facilitate the National Civics Bee Competition.  As used herein, the term “Essay Round” refers to the essay contest that is the initial round of the National Civics Bee Competition; the term “Regional Competition” refers to a live regional competition as a round of the National Civics Bee Competition, hosted by the Sponsor and governed by these Regional Rules; the term “Statewide Competition” refers to a live statewide, districtwide, or territory-wide competition as a round of the National Civics Bee Competition; the term “State Competition” refers to a live state finals competition as a round of the National Civics Bee Competition; and the term “NCB Contest” refers collectively to all rounds of the National Civics Bee Competition. As used herein, “state” commonly refers to any U.S. state, district, or territory participating in the NCB Contest.

To be eligible to participate in the Regional Competition, a participant must (a) be a resident of [STATE], and (b) have been selected as one of twenty (20) Regional Finalists qualified to advance from the Essay Round. All Regional Competition participants must be Regional Finalists residing within the geographic area served by the Regional Host. 

The following persons are not eligible to participate in the Regional Competition: (1) employees, officers, and directors of the Sponsor (“Sponsor Persons”); (2) employees, officers, and directors of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation (“Foundation Persons”); (3) employees, officers and directors of the Chamber of Commerce of the United States of America (“Chamber Persons”); (4) Immediate Family Members or individuals residing in the household (whether or not related) of any Sponsor Persons, Foundation Persons and/or Chamber Persons; (5) Immediate Family Members of a judge of any round of the NCB Contest; and (6) individuals residing in the household of a judge of any round of the NCB Contest (whether or not related to the judge).     

For the purposes of these Regional Rules, “Immediate Family Member” includes any parent, legal guardian, spouse, child, and sibling.

The Regional Competition will take place on April 10, 2026 at 2 p.m. at Minot State University Hartnett Hall Aleshire Theater located at 500 University Ave W in Minot, ND, 58707. By participating, each participant agrees to the Regional Rules and warrants their compliance with all requirements set forth in the Essay Round Rules and Regional Rules.  

The NCB Contest is made up of several rounds, each of which is governed by its own set of rules. Any provisions set out in these Regional Rules regarding other rounds are for informational purposes only and do not constitute rules with respect to any other round.

Participation in the first round, the Essay Round, is a prerequisite to entrance into the Regional Competition. During the Essay Round of the NCB Contest, each entrant is assigned to a Regional Host, where applicable, based on their address as submitted with their essay. 

The twenty (20) highest-scoring entrants from the Essay Round will be notified of their qualification to advance to the Regional Competition and will be invited to participate in the live Regional Competition. The parent or legal guardian of each invited finalist must accept the invitation and execute and return all required consents and publicity releases to the Regional Host, all within ten (10) days of notification or the finalist will be disqualified, and alternate finalist(s) will be chosen. 

The twenty (20) qualified finalists from the Essay Round (including alternates) who timely accept their invitations and return all required consents and releases as provided above are referred to in these Regional Rules as the “Regional Finalists.” 
By accepting an invitation to participate in the Regional Competition, each Regional Finalist and their parent/guardian agree to these Regional Rules.

Regional Finalists must appear in person and arrive on time (i.e., prior to the start of the first scheduled event) for the Regional Competition, which will be held on April 10, 2026. The Regional Finalists will compete in the live Regional Competition, which will determine the first, second, and third-place winners.  

The Regional Competition will be made up of three rounds, including two rounds of civics-based quiz questions. Each correct answer will receive one point, and each incorrect answer or unanswered question will receive zero points. The five highest-scoring Regional Finalists from the first two rounds will participate in a third round of the Regional Competition which will include questions from a panel of judges regarding the Regional Finalists’ essay submissions. For states with only one Regional Competition, the ten (10) highest-scoring Regional Finalists from the first two rounds will participate in the third round. The Regional Finalist with the highest cumulative score at the end of the third round will be determined as the First-Place Winner of the Regional Competition. Second-Place Winners and Third-Place Winners will also be announced based on the highest cumulative scores from all three rounds. If two or more Participants are tied at a score affecting advancement to the next round of Competition, the Regional Host shall determine the method of resolution in its discretion.

In participating states with three or more Regional Competitions, the top three winners from each Regional Competition will advance to compete in the State Competition. In participating states with only two Regional Competitions, five finalists will advance from each competition, for a total of ten (10) participants at the State Competition. In participating states with only one Regional Competition, ten (10) finalists from the Regional Competition will advance to the State Competition. In participating states with only a Statewide Competition, the twenty (20) qualified finalists from the Essay Round will be invited to compete at the Statewide Competition. 

The first-place winners from each State Competition and Statewide Competition will be invited to compete at the National Championship.

Each round of the NCB Contest is governed by its own set of rules. Regional, State, Statewide, and National Competitions are each subject to separate rules, terms, and conditions, and may be hosted by different organizations. Prizes may be won in each round and may vary. Participants should consult the applicable rules for specific details on each round. 

Central to the NCB Contest is the belief that civic engagement begins with thoughtful dialogue. This competition encourages students to express their views and analyze issues in ways that elevate the conversation and foster mutual understanding. To support this, we’ve provided the following content requirement to promote respectful debate and critical thinking.

When addressing community issues during the live competition portions of the Regional Competition and other stages of the NCB Contest, participants should focus on the nature and impact of problems and challenges and at all times must avoid blaming, disparaging, identifying as the cause of the problem or as a contributor to the problem, or otherwise criticizing, any specific individual, company, organization, governmental body, or government official, by name or in any other identifiable manner ("Targeted Criticisms"). Judges will consider the intent and overall substance of a response when determining whether a comment constitutes a Targeted Criticism, and the Regional Host shall make the final determination regarding enforcement and any resulting action. NCB Contest participants that include Targeted Criticisms in their live judging responses may be disqualified, or other appropriate action may be taken, as determined by the Regional Host in its sole and absolute discretion, taking into account the nature and context of the response. This requirement supports the competition’s mission to promote constructive civic dialogue and respectful engagement with community issues. This provision is intended to promote civil discourse, not to penalize honest expression of opinions.

Illustrative Examples: 

Acceptable: "There are only a few activities for teens in our town, which can lead to boredom and risky behavior." 
May be disqualified: "The Parks Director refuses to build anything fun for teens." 
Acceptable: "There is limited access to internet in our town, which makes it difficult to do homework."
May be disqualified: "Internet Provider X is horrible and should go out of business."

Participants must act in good faith and uphold the spirit of fair competition. The following actions are prohibited and depending on severity and context may result in disqualification:
          •         Use of unauthorized devices, notes or communication during competition.
          •         Talking or signaling during questions.
          •         Deliberate stalling or attempts to gain extra time.
          •         Receiving or providing external assistance.

Parents/Guardians who disrupt play, attempt to signal answers, or otherwise interfere will be asked to leave immediately. Any attempt to influence competition outcomes may be referred to appropriate authorities.

All judges will sign a Code of Conduct prior to participating in the Regional Competition, confirming they will act impartially and evaluate competitors solely on the published rubrics. Each judge will also complete a disclosure statement affirming the absence of any personal relationship that could be reasonably perceived as favoritism.

Each Regional Finalist that participates in the Regional Competition will receive a certificate (which does not have any monetary/retail value), commemorating their participation.

There will be one (1) third-place winner of the Regional Competition (“Third-Place Winner”). The Third-Place Winner will receive a separate trophy and a cash prize of $125.

There will be one (1) second-place winner of the Regional Competition (“Second-Place Winner”). The Second-Place Winner will receive a separate trophy and a cash prize of $250.

There will be one (1) first-place winner of the Regional Competition (“First-Place Winner”). The First-Place Winner will receive a separate trophy and a cash prize of $500.

In some cases, the Regional Host may be able to provide financial support to allow participants to travel to the Regional Competition; however, such support is not guaranteed, and participants should contact the Regional Host for more details. The right to receive prizes may not be transferred, encumbered, or assigned by any winner or participant. No cash equivalent will be provided in lieu of non-cash prizes. The Sponsor reserves the right to substitute prizes in the event of unavailability, and there is no guarantee that any such substituted prize will be of equal value to the prize it replaced.

To claim a cash prize, the parent or legal guardian of the cash prize winner must provide a valid taxpayer identification number to the Sponsor. Payment of all federal, state, and local taxes are solely the responsibility of the winner(s) and the parent or legal guardian of the winner(s). 

This is a skills-based contest, and chance plays no part in the determination of Regional Competition winners.  The odds of being selected as a Regional Finalist or being selected as one of the top three winners of the Regional Competition may vary greatly and will depend on the number of participants received, as well as the knowledge and skills of all participants.

Each Regional Finalist competing in the Regional Competition and their parent or legal guardian (collectively, “Licensors”), hereby grants the Foundation, the Sponsor, and all hosts of other NCB Contest rounds, as well as any corporate or individual benefactors of NCB Contest rounds (collectively, “Licensees”), a non-exclusive, royalty-free, perpetual, irrevocable, worldwide, transferable license to edit, telecast, exhibit, display, rerun, reproduce, use, syndicate, license, print, distribute, and otherwise exploit any photos, videos, or audio taken at the Regional Competition, or any portion thereof, in any manner, and in any and all formats and media now known or hereafter devised, without payment to Licensors or any third party. Licensors represent and warrant that (a) the person approving these Regional Rules as the parent or legal guardian of the minor Regional Finalist participating in the Regional Competition is the parent or lawful legal guardian of such minor; (b) Licensors hereby provide express consent for such minor and information about such minor to appear in any materials related to the NCB Contest or any related event or ceremony; and (c) Licensors have the full legal right, power, and authority to grant this license. Information about the Regional Finalist competing in the Regional Competition that may be used by Licensee under this license may include, without limitation, their name, address (city and state only), image, likeness, photograph, voice, biographical information, and/or any statements made by them regarding the NCB Contest, the Sponsor, or any other person or entity related to the NCB Contest.  The licenses described above in this paragraph do not provide any license or other rights with respect to the Regional Finalist’s essay submitted in the Essay Round.

Neither the Sponsor, the Foundation, nor any affiliated entities or agents are responsible for any illegible, lost, stolen, late, damaged, incomplete, mutilated, or misdirected submissions or other documents. Participants are responsible for ensuring proper contact information has been submitted and is maintained throughout their participation in the NCB Contest to allow communications about the NCB Contest.

Materially erroneous or false information provided during the Regional Competition will result in immediate disqualification of the participant, in the Sponsor’s sole and final discretion. During the Regional Competition, the Sponsor otherwise retains the right to disqualify any participant for sufficient cause, in its sole and final discretion.  Any submissions indicating that the participant or others could be in danger may be reported to the appropriate authorities.

If, for any reason, the Regional Competition is not capable of running as planned, the Sponsor reserves the right in its sole and final discretion to cancel, reschedule, terminate, modify, or suspend the Regional Competition at any time. The Sponsor reserves the right to amend these Regional Rules at any time.

By participating in the Regional Competition, you understand that there is no joint venture, partnership, employment, or agency relation between you and the Sponsor or the Foundation arising from your participation.

If a scoring error is identified during or after a round of Competition, the Regional Host may take corrective action in its discretion, including adjusting scores or advancement, provided such action is consistent with fairness and the integrity of the Competition. All decisions of the judges and the Regional Host, including those rendered in response to concerns or objections raised during the Regional Competition (collectively, “Contest Decisions”), shall be made by the Regional Host in its role as administrator of the Competition and are final and binding. Participants specifically acknowledge and agree that Contest Decisions are not subject to challenge, review, or further appeal in any forum whatsoever, including but not limited to any court of law or other tribunal, to the maximum extent allowed by Applicable Law.

Subject to their eligibility and full compliance with these Regional Rules, participants with disabilities will not be excluded from any Regional Competition unless the participant poses a direct threat to the health or safety of others that cannot be eliminated by a reasonable modification. Regional Hosts will strive to accommodate all requests for reasonable modifications to the Regional Rules or other aspects of the Regional Competition, for participants with disabilities who timely request a modification. All requests for modification must be made in writing, using the Modification Request Form provided by the Regional Host, and must be submitted to the Regional Host at least ten (10) business days before the Regional Competition date. Late requests may be considered by the Regional Host in its discretion where practicable and where doing so does not compromise the fairness or integrity of the Competition.

Entrants agree that personal data, especially name and address, may be processed, shared, and otherwise used for the purposes and within the context of the Regional Competition, to report Regional Competition results to the State Competition host and Foundation, and for any other purposes outlined in these Regional Rules. The data may also be used by the Sponsor to verify the participant’s First Name, Last Name, School Name, ZIP Code, Parent/Guardian’s Phone Number/Email, or to otherwise verify the participant’s eligibility to participate in the Regional Competition.  Participants have the right to access, review, rectify, or cancel any personal data held by the Sponsor by writing to the Sponsor at Minot Area Chamber EDC, 1020 20th Ave SW, Minot, ND 58701 or carla@minotchamberedc.com.  The foregoing is subject to the NCB Contest’s Privacy Policy [Privacy Policy Link], and in the event of any conflict the terms of the Privacy Policy shall prevail.

By entering the Regional Competition, each participant and their parents/guardians agree that (1) any and all disputes, claims, and causes of action arising out of or in connection with the Regional Competition, or any prizes awarded, shall be resolved individually without resort to any form of class action; (2) any claims, judgment, and awards shall be limited to actual out-of-pocket costs incurred, including costs associated with entering the Regional Competition, but in no event attorneys’ fees; and (3) under no circumstances will any participant be permitted to obtain any award for, and participant hereby waives all rights to claim punitive, incidental, or consequential damages, and any and all rights to have damages multiplied or otherwise increased and any other damages, other than damages for actual out-of-pocket expenses; however, in no event shall the liability of the Sponsor exceed $100.  

Each participant and their parents/guardians acknowledge that the Regional Competition is conducted by the Sponsor, and not by the Foundation.  As such, the participants and their parents/guardians will hold harmless, release, and discharge, on behalf of themselves, and their heirs, executors, and assigns, the Foundation and any affiliated entities, and their respective officers, directors, members, employees, agents, affiliates, successors, and assigns, from any and all claims, demands, lawsuits, expenses, injuries, losses, damages, and any other liability of any kind, of or to participants/parents/guardians and any other person or property, or claims based upon directly or indirectly arising out of or in connection with the Regional Competition, even if due to the negligence, omission, or other fault of the Foundation and any affiliated entities, and their respective officers, directors, members, employees, agents, affiliates, successors, and assigns.

To request a list of the names of the top three winners of the Regional Competition, send a self-addressed, stamped envelope to Minot Area Chamber EDC, 1020 20th Ave SW, Minot, ND 58701.

Please direct any questions about these Regional Rules to the Regional Host, by email to Carla Dolan at carla@minotchamberedc.com.