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The Partial Observer by Emily Brubaker

Democracy Isn’t Just for Adults

On Veterans’ Day, middle schoolers from 39 states competed to be crowned the next champion of the National Civics Bee.

I was fortunate enough to emerge as the champion of 2024’s inaugural edition of the Civics Bee. As I walked off the stage then, it hit me that I, an eighth-grader from Alaska, had just shown the country that young people can and should shape our democracy.

My journey into civics started with something deeply personal. I was born with a congenital condition that requires costly dental procedures. Too often, insurance companies refuse to cover them.

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