Since 2018, Seven Days and Kids VT have been organizing the Good Citizen Challenge, a youth civics project for kids in grades K-8. It gives them 25 activities they can do to earn “stars.” The tasks range from simple to complex: Reading a book or visiting a memorial is good for one star; talking with a journalist or taking a three-day break from screens is worth three. Each star earned is an entry in drawings for prizes that include $50 gift cards to Phoenix Books and the grand prize — a free trip for two to Washington, D.C., donated by Milne Travel. Kids from all across the state have entered the Challenge since it launched on May 20. Those who complete all of the activities will be honored as Distinguished Citizens at a special day at the Statehouse during the legislative session in March. All students who complete activities are invited to an end-of-summer celebration at the Statehouse on September 17, where we’ll raffle off the grand prize. There’s still time to complete and submit activities before the Challenge ends on Labor Day, September 7. Here are some of the 2026 highlights so far, by the numbers: Money raised for local charities through activity No. 13, Organize Support for a Cause: $884.62 Theo Moore, 8, of Burlington raised $200 for his elementary school’s mural project by running a mini farmers market on his street with his friends. “Next spring, I’m going to build my own little garden bed and start growing some food that I want to put in the mini farmers market. ” Number of Distinguished Citizens as of press time: 5 Blaise Tinker Credit: Courtesy Winooski brothers Blaise Tinker, 12, and Colt Mobbs, 6, crossed the Good Citizen finish line first, followed closely by Hanaleia Hartz, 9, of Burlington. Seven more participants have completed 20 or more activities so far, and another 10 are at least halfway there! Blaise summed up some of the things he learned through the Challenge in the short essay he completed for activity No. 25. “I have learned through completing the Good Citizen Challenge what the oldest building in Winooski is (73 East Allen Street), about floods in Vermont, how reading can be fun, how to raise money for a nonprofit, and how taking a break from screens isn’t that hard,” he wrote. “Completing the Good Citizen Challenge was fun this summer.” Hanaleia Hartz Credit: Courtesy Number of kids who have designed new “I Voted” stickers for activity No. 22: 79 See some of the entries on this page. At the end of the Challenge, a group of judges from the Vermont Secretary of State’s Office and Seven Days will select a winning design, which will be available at the polls in the winner’s town on Election Day in November. Sticker designs by Ollie Grant, Liza Hagan, Khaisiir Coleman, Brynn Weinberger and Nash Boehm Credit: Courtesy Number of entries for activity No. 4, Suggest a Memorial or a Historical Marker, that suggest honoring coins: 1. Number of entries for activity No. 4 that recommend honoring superstar musician Noah Kahan: 4 Ellis Smith, 8, of Marshfield proposed a memorial to “The Penny.” The first one, he noted, was minted in 1787; the last, in 2026. “I am very interested in coin collecting and have many special pennies,” he wrote. Number of creative takes on activity No. 12, Use It Up, Wear It Out, Make Do or Do Without: 28 Benjamin Taplin, 9, of Brownington explored an old dump site on his family’s land and found some glass bottles. “My mom plans to reuse them as vases for flowers,” he wrote. Ben Taplin Credit: Courtesy Number of participants as of press time: 181. Number of activities they’ve completed: 1,375 and counting! Find a list of activities, and submit your entries, at goodcitizenvt.com. Tune in to “Channel 3 This Morning” on Thursdays at 6:15 a.m. to see weekly Good Citizen Challenge prize drawings. This Challenge would not be possible without support from the Vermont Community Foundation and the Canaday Family Charitable Trust. Middlebury College MiddWorks student interns Olivia Fleming and Norah Khan contributed reporting. The post K-8 Students Have Fun Taking the 2026 Good Citizen Challenge appeared first on Seven Days. ...read more read less