Governor Ron DeSantis has announced that the winner of the Ronald Reagan Presidential Debate at the upcoming Florida Civics and Debate Initiative (FCDI) State Championship will receive a $50,000 scholarship and a trophy named in honor of Charlie Kirk. The runner-up is set to receive a $25,000 scholarship, while two semifinalists will each be awarded $15,000 scholarships. Four quarterfinalists will each get $10,000 scholarships.
“We have worked hard by to make Florida the national model for civics education,” said Governor Ron DeSantis. “The Florida Civics and Debate Initiative reflects our commitment to fostering students’ appreciation for America’s founding principles. The champion of the next FCDI state championship will take home the Charlie Kirk prize, renamed in honor of a young man who embodied the principles of patriotism, civil discourse, and open debate. The generous scholarship awards for the winner and other top competitors will be a great memorial to Kirk’s legacy.”
Commissioner of Education Anastasios Kamoutsas stated: “Florida is modeling for the nation the impact of comprehensive civics education. With the addition of the Ronald Reagan Presidential Debate into FCDI, students have even more opportunities to showcase their civics knowledge while engaging in respectful discourse. Through FCDI and the Civics Literacy Excellence Initiatives, we are ensuring the next generation understands our founding principles and is equipped to preserve them through active civic participation.”
The scholarships are funded by philanthropist Patricia Duggan from Clearwater with a ten-year commitment to continue this support. These funds are matched by the Florida Prepaid Foundation. In addition to monetary awards, both the winner and runner-up will be invited to attend the National Ronald Reagan Presidential Debate in California.
The FCDI State Championship is scheduled for April 5, 2026 at New College of Florida in Sarasota. Through FCDI programs established across all 67 school districts in Florida, thousands of students participate annually in debates that focus on civic knowledge and civil discourse.
Since 2020 under Governor DeSantis’ leadership, FCDI has expanded from 59 teams in 11 districts to over 330 teams statewide—including more than 125 new teams—with students competing in over 30 tournaments during this academic year.
Recent initiatives supporting civics education include implementing a civic literacy assessment for high school government courses starting with school year 2021-22; requiring postsecondary students entering since 2018-19 at state universities or colleges to demonstrate civic literacy competency; revising K-12 Civics standards fully implemented beginning with school year 2023-24; creating rigorous teacher training aligned with these standards; developing an integrated K-12 curriculum as both primary resource or supplement; and providing support through Regional Civics Literacy Directors who offer coaching and professional development opportunities for educators.
