SARASOTA, Fla. – Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis held a news conference on Monday morning to highlight the state’s efforts to improve speech and debate programs and promote civics education in schools.
During the news conference in Sarasota, DeSantis talked about the civics and debate championship to be held at New College of Florida in spring 2026, and announced that the winner’s prize will be named after Charlie Kirk, the conservative activist who was killed after he was shot during an event at a college campus in Utah in September.
“Charlie was some, I mean, he was beating the bushes in Florida, like for a long time before he became really well known, developed a big following in this state, particularly with a lot of contributors in different parts of the state. He even lived in this community here in Sarasota for a time. So we are proud to be able to do that in memory,” DeSantis said.
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The winner of the civics and debate championship will also receive a $50,000 scholarship. The runner-up will receive a $25,000 scholarship. Semifinalists will receive 15,000 each, and the four remaining quarter-finalists will each receive a $10,000 scholarship, DeSantis said.
“I know there’s a lot of students that were going to be eager to compete anyway, this is even more incentive to get involved,” DeSantis said.
DeSantis also announced a partnership with Turning Point USA, the organization Charlie Kirk founded to mobilize young conservatives.
“We want to make sure that all high schools in Florida, anybody in a high school that wants to start a state Club America chapter will be able to do so. There shouldn’t be any impediments to that, and certainly no discrimination. We’re not going to allow that,” the governor said.
Naming the prize after Kirk is just one of many tributes across the state to honor the conservative activist.
During the news conference, Richard Corcoran, president of New College of Florida, reiterated the plans to install a statue to honor Charlie Kirk. He said he would like to see the statue at the Old Memorial Golf Club in Tampa.
“We’re going to hopefully start that tradition, you’re going to touch the Charlie Kirk statue as a hat tip to free speech, academic freedom and civil discourse, foundational principles of which, if they cease to exist, we cease to exist, and we will never let that happen,” Corcoran said.
The governor also touted the state’s efforts to commemorate America’s 250th anniversary next year, including the unveiling of several statues across the state.
He also said the U.S. Department of Education has awarded grants to several Florida institutions across the state to promote civics education.
According to DeSantis, the University of North Florida received $2.1 million to fund a program designed to enhance civics education for ninth through 12th grade teachers in Duval County Public Schools through inquiry-driven professional development