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 event will take place on April 5, 2026, at New College of Florida in Sarasota.
The runner-up of the debate will be awarded a $25,000 scholarship. Two semifinalists will each receive $15,000 scholarships, and four quarterfinalists will each receive $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 added: “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 through a ten-year pledge and are matched by the Florida Prepaid Foundation. This matching doubles their value for recipients. Additionally, both the winner and runner-up will be invited by the Ronald Reagan Foundation to attend the National Ronald Reagan Presidential Debate in California.
FCDI teams now exist in all 67 school districts across Florida. Since 2020, when there were only 59 teams in 11 districts, FCDI has expanded under Governor DeSantis’ leadership to over 330 teams statewide—including more than 125 new teams this year alone. Students involved with FCDI participate in over 30 tournaments annually as part of their civic education activities.
The initiative aims to engage thousands of students throughout Florida in civil discourse while developing reasoning skills linked to understanding constitutional values and principles.
