South Texas Medical Professions, La Joya ISD Students Advance to State History Competition

EDINBURG, TX – Middle and high school students flexed their knowledge of civics, history and government at the Region One Texas Citizen Bee. The top winners from each division will now advance to the state level to represent Region One.

High School Division: Texas Citizen Bee

Held on March 25, 2025, at the Region One Conference Center, the competition challenged high school students in a multiple-choice round and an oral competition covering key civics topics, including the Constitution and landmark Supreme Court cases.

• 1st Place: Daniela Salazar | South Texas ISD Medical Professions
• 2nd Place: Alejandra Lopez | Lamar Academy, McAllen ISD
• 3rd Place: Sebastian Maldonado | Juarez Lincoln High School, La Joya ISD

South Texas ISD’s Daniela Salazar will travel to Austin to compete at the Texas Citizen Bee State Competition on April 12, 2025, with sponsored travel and lodging as the first-place winner.

Middle School Division: Texas Junior Citizen Bee

On April 2, 2025, middle school students competed in the Region One Texas Junior Citizen Bee, demonstrating their civics knowledge in both written and verbal rounds.

• 1st Place: Jose Toledo | La Joya ISD
• 2nd Place: Alessandra Belmares | Donna ISD
• 3rd Place: Amanda Rodriguez | Donna ISD

Toledo will go on to represent Region One and his district in the Virtual State Junior Citizen Bee Competition, competing in the written round on April 30 and the verbal round on May 1.

The Importance of Civics Education

Region One Social Studies Specialist Jose Julian Saenz emphasized the value of civic engagement and public speaking in preparing students for the future.

“Competitions like the Citizen Bee empower students with the knowledge and confidence to become active participants in our democracy,” Saenz said. “By developing their public speaking skills and understanding of government, they are better equipped to lead and serve their communities.”

For more information about the Texas Citizen Bee, visit citizenbee.org.