Ashley Tall—who joined Clague Middle School’s Michigan Youth in Government Club as a sixth grader—is now preparing for the national civic bee in Washington, D.C.
Ashley Tall’s journey from civics novice to state champion began with a desire to gain a deeper understanding of democracy. Now the incoming Huron High School freshman is heading to Washington, D.C. this fall to represent Michigan in the National Civics Bee Finals, where she’ll compete for a $100,000 education savings plan.
“I feel very proud to represent Michigan in the national competition,” says Ashley, the 14-year-old daughter of Greg and Renee Tall. “I worked hard and I’m happy that this work is paying off.”
Ashley claimed first place at the Michigan Chamber Foundation’s 2nd annual statewide National Civics Bee on July 9 at the State Capitol in Lansing. Twenty-one middle school finalists representing 10 schools across Michigan competed in the event, which featured live quiz rounds followed by a presentation round where the top five finalists shared policy solutions to improve their communities.
“In 6th grade, I joined Clague Middle School’s Michigan Youth in Government club run by the teacher who inspired me to start this civics project, Mr. Aaron Wiens,” Ashley says. “Youth in Government taught me about civics and about how to pass bills through the legislative process. The experience allowed me to see a different side of how our nation is run. It was very exciting to see all of the different proposals being made from other students throughout the state, and to meet lots of new people.”
That foundational experience sparked her broader interest in civic engagement and a commitment to civic education.
“After my experience at Youth in Government, I wanted to learn more about the democratic process. I searched around and found the National Civics Bee,” Ashley explains. “I first applied to the 2024 competition. I got accepted into the local round through the Canton Chamber of Commerce and competed. I wasn’t really aware of what civics was at that time, so that local competition was my starting point for civics.”
That initial experience, while unsuccessful, provided valuable lessons.
“This year, I wanted to give it another shot and possibly make it to the state competition. I knew what to study and the format of the competition,” she says. “Once I won the local competition, I knew that I wanted to win the State Competition so that I could compete in the National Competition.”
The competition format challenged students across multiple dimensions of civic knowledge. Participants faced 20 multiple-choice questions covering various civics-related topics before the top five advanced to present their community improvement proposals to a panel of judges.
Ashley’s winning essay addressed air quality concerns in the Ann Arbor area.
“I noticed around Ann Arbor that there were big plumes of smoke coming from many cars on the roads,” she said. “I researched the effects of poor air quality on our health and found surprising results. This led me to think of a vehicle emissions testing program to get rid of the ‘super polluters’ on the roads.”
The presentation component proved crucial to her success.
“All of the questions were challenging, but the speaking round helped me advance,” Tall noted. “After making it into the top five from the question round in both the local and state competitions, I was able to speak about my essay, and the judges asked me questions about my project. I think I provided strong responses, and it helped me to go forward in the competition.”
For Ashley, civics education extends beyond academic competition.
“I enjoy civics because it helps get me connected with my community and make change,” she says, highlighting the practical applications of her studies.
Looking ahead to the national competition, Tall acknowledges the magnitude of the opportunity while maintaining realistic expectations about the challenge ahead.
“I’m both nervous and excited for the national competition,” she says of the Nov. 11 event.
The competition will be livestreamed on the Civic Trust Website.
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