A Buena Vista middle school student on Tuesday will represent Colorado in the 2024 National Civics Bee.

Joseph Drexler, a student at Darren Patterson Christian Academy, won the Colorado State Finals to earn his spot to compete at the first-ever national championships in Washington D.C.

The goal of the competition is to inspire middle school students to “become better informed about American democracy, to engage respectfully and constructively in the community, and to build greater trust in others and institutions,” the Colorado Chamber of Commerce said in a news release.

Competitors in the Colorado finals in May answered a series of multiple-choice questions about civics, and then presented forward-thinking ideas to a panel of judges.

In his winning performance, Drexler gave a speech about an enthusiasm problem he saw among Colorado students, citing data that 31% of students are chronically absent. He proposed solutions, such as teaching more civics and giving students more choice in their education.

The Colorado Chamber of Commerce, the Daniels Fund and the Civic Trust of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation hosted the state finals, with the top three finishers winning $1,000, $500 and $250, respectively.

Anna Metzel of Kent Denver School in Englewood placed second and Ram Yalavarthy of Drake Middle School in Arvada took third. Yalavarthy won the state competition in 2023.

The national competition will run from 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on Tuesday. Up to $50,000 in prizes are up for grabs.