Dallas County to participate in census competition for chance to win money for schools

On Sept. 2 Dallas County will be among 31 others to compete in the Alabama Census Bowl for a chance to win $65,000 to be used for their public school systems.

The competition is being held by the Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs (ADECA) and Alabama Counts! for those counties that have been determined to have a low rate of self response for the 2020 census.

“We are close to the final buzzer on Census 2020, and the Alabama Census Bowl is an excellent way to drive our state’s self-response rate up — all while benefitting public schools,” said Kenneth Boswell, who is the Alabama Counts! Chairman and ADECA director.

Alabama Census Bowl is described as a “March Madness” type of competition where there will be a bracket for the east and a bracket for the west with 16 counties in each one. It will run for four weeks, ending on Sept. 30.

The overall winner will be awarded the $65,000 with $45,000 to the second place winner, and four runner-up winners receiving $30,000 each. “Elite Eight Runner-Ups” will be awarded $20,000 each. The prizes will be given out in October of 2020.

“This is a unique way for counties to raise money for their schools, which can help with programs and projects benefitting deserving Alabama students,” Boswell stated further. “The grants can be used toward things like new technology, supplies or materials for classrooms.”

Other counties participating are: Baldwin, Barbour, Bibb, Bullock, Butler, Cherokee, Choctaw, Conecuh, Coosa, Crenshaw, Clarke, DeKalb, Greene, Hale, Henry, Lamar, Lowndes, Macon, Marengo, Monroe, Perry, Pike, Randolph, Russell, Sumter, Talladega, Tallapoosa, Walker, Washington, Wilcox, and Winston.