For the 10th year, Cook County Middle School students took part in the National Geographic Geography Bee. On Friday, January 6, nine students took the stage at the Arrowhead Center for the Arts to compete in the Jeopardy! -like competition. Geography Bee competitors—some with the maps used in the contest. (L-R, front) Julia Larsen, Maya McHugh, Linnea Gesch, Pete Summers. (L-R, back) Madison Roy, Lucas Phillips (3rd), Sean MacDonell (1st), Clara McNeally (2nd), Will Seaton.
For the 10th year, students and family members gathered in the Arrowhead Center for the Arts to watch contestants in Jeopardy!-like competition—the National Geographic Geography Bee. Nine Cook County Middle School students took the stage on Friday, January 6 to take on challenging geography trivia questions.
Teacher Dorie Carlson facilitates the Geography Bee, which begins with written tests and classroom rounds. By the time the competition is narrowed to nine, the middle school students have learned a lot. “These kids have done a really good job to get here,” said Carlson.
She asked the competitors to take their seats and soon Clara McNeally, Lucas Phillips, Sean MacDonell, Will Seaton, Madison Roy, Pete Summers, Julia Larsen, Linnea Gesch, and Maya McHugh were ready to go.
Round by round, they answered tough geography questions read by teacher T.J. Super, being eliminated after two incorrect answers. Questions such as, “What is the longest river in the world?”
The winner of the 2012 Geography Bee, Sean MacDonell, pens an answer to a tough geography question.
Answers were split between the Nile and the Amazon rivers on that question, and Super acknowledged it was tricky. “The Nile is the longest. The Amazon is the largest by area.”
And so it went, question by question— some requiring the use of maps—until the field was narrowed to three—Lucas Phillips, Clara McNeally, and Sean MacDonell. After a few more questions about Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Massachusetts, and Timbuktu, the final order was determined. Lucas won third place and $5 cash. Clara claimed second place, receiving $10 cash. And the winner who took home a medal and $15 cash was Sean MacDonell.
Congratulations to all of the Geography Bee contestants!
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