Civic Literacy in Action: Meet the National Civics Bee Finalist Featured on TODAY

Aisha, a seventh grader and 2025 National Civics Bee® finalist from Illinois, recently saw her civic leadership reach a national audience when she was featured on the TODAY show—an experience she described as feeling “like a dream.” The spotlight grew out of her National Civics Bee application, where she tackled a challenge affecting students everywhere: cyberbullying. 

Grounded in her belief that every community problem deserves a “feasible solution,” Aisha created BRIGHT, a comprehensive six-step toolkit designed to help students navigate online abuse with confidence. Each letter in the acronym offers a clear, actionable strategy: 

• Block: Create distance from the bully. 

• Report: Notify the online platform. 

• Ignore: Do not respond and find a distraction. 

• Get an adult: Seek advice from a trusted mentor. 

• Hotline: Connect with professional resources if needed. 

• Tech break: Log off and engage in offline activities. 

The National Civics Bee provided the platform Aisha needed to take BRIGHT to the next level. By presenting her initiative to her local mayor and trustees, she sparked a collaboration with a community engagement police officer to refine the toolkit and even trained a local business on cyber safety. These experiences have fostered a new sense of confidence in her. “Children, a lot of the time, don’t realize that they have a constitutional right to speak out… even though I’m only 12 years old, I can change something in my community for the better,” she shared. 

Aisha’s journey is a powerful example of civic literacy in action. After winning the 2025 National Civics Bee Illinois State Finals, she continues to play an active role in civics. Recently, she placed second in her 2026 regional competition with a new focus on teacher mental health. Her ultimate goal is to become a lawyer because “lawyers speak out against issues and they help change the world.” 

As her BRIGHT toolkit gains interest from other communities looking to replicate its success, Aisha remains an inspiration for the next generation of leaders. Her advice to other students is simple: “You do [have a voice] and you just have to realize it… find something that you’re passionate about and just speak out about it!“ 

Watch Aisha’s story on the TODAY show: