For the City Times

MADISON – Local schools are invited to participate in the 2020 Wisconsin Civics Games.

The 2020 regional competitions will be held April 24, at University of Wisconsin campuses across the state. The two highest-scoring teams from each region will compete in the state finals on May 15, at the Wisconsin State Capitol in Madison. Winners of the state championship will receive $2,000 scholarships to the Wisconsin college or university of their choice.

Launched by the Wisconsin Newspaper Association Foundation in 2018, the Wisconsin Civics Games drew more than 100 students from 25 schools across the state.

Platteville High School students Jacob Sherer, Spencer Olds, Alex Sonsalla and Liam Reinicke were named the 2018 champions.

Students prepared for the regional and state competitions through after-school group study, reading the Wisconsin Taxpayers Alliance’s textbook “The Framework of Your Wisconsin Government,” utilizing interactive resources provided by WNA partners, discussing civic affairs in their community and even attending public meetings.

It’s the hope of the WNA Foundation that the games will help to address the effects of declining civics education and encourage young adults to be more engaged in civic affairs.

According to a survey by the Annenberg Public Policy Center, only two in five American adults can correctly name the three branches of government. The survey also showed that people who took high school civics, as well as those who were greater consumers of news, were more likely to know the answers to six key civics questions, including naming the branches of government.

“We’ve spent a lot of time, as a nation, getting students ready for STEM, but one of our schools’ most important duties is to prepare the next generation to be good citizens, and the Civics Games can play a role in that,” said WNA Foundation President Scott Peterson, editor of the Watertown Daily Times. “This is so important for the future of our nation, to educate our kids about our democracy and get them engaged.”

The registration deadline for the 2020 Wisconsin Civics Games is Nov. 15.

Additional information about the games, including study tips, official rules, and sample questions can be found at www.wisconsincivicsgames.com.