BCMS Geographic Bee winners announced

Seventeen students from BCMS participated in the school competition of the National Geographic GeoBee on Jan. 29.

Riley Thompson won first place, with Jesse Fess taking second place, and Damon Madson finishing third. All three are eighth-graders.

The school competition is the first round in the annual National Geographic GeoBee, a geography competition designed to inspire and reward students’ curiosity about the world. Questions cover not only geography, but also ancient and world civilizations, cultures, and physical features.

The National Geographic Society developed the GeoBee in 1989 in response to concern about the lack of geographic knowledge among young people in the United States. Over more than three decades, more than 120 million students have learned about the world through participation in the GeoBee.

School champions, including Riley Thompson, will take an online qualifying test; up to 100 of the top test scorers in each state then become eligible to compete in their State GeoBee. The winners of the State GeoBees receive an all-expenses-paid trip to participate in the GeoBee national championship in spring 2020. Students will be competing for cash prizes, scholarships and an all-expenses-paid Lindblad expedition to the Galápagos Islands aboard the National Geographic Endeavour ll. Learn more at www.natgeobee.org.

In addition to the GeoBee, National Geographic also offers classroom resources, student experiences and professional development opportunities for educators.

The National Geographic Society is a global non-profit organization that uses the power of science, exploration, education and storytelling to illuminate the wonder of the world, define critical challenges and catalyze action to protect our planet.

Since 1888, National Geographic has pushed the boundaries of exploration, investing in bold people and transformative ideas, providing more than 14,000 grants for work across all seven continents, reaching three million students each year through education offerings, and engaging audiences around the globe through signature convenings and content.

To learn more, visit www.nationalgeographic.org or follow us on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook.