Students compete in Alaska Geographic Bee

March 23, 2012

Marmian Grimes

Nancy Tarnai
907-474-5042
3/23/12

Alaska students will compete in the National Geographic state-level geography bee Friday, March 30 at the Egan Center in Anchorage. More than 100 fourth through eighth graders from 21 Alaska school districts will participate. The contestants have prequalified by winning their schools’ bees and passing a qualifying test.

Questions during the bee span the world: “Which state has a climate suitable for growing citrus fruits, California or Maine?” “The North Atlantic current brings warm waters from the tropics to the west coast of which continent?” “To visit the ruins of Persepolis, an ancient capital of Persia, you would have to travel to what present-day country?”

Preliminary rounds in the morning will determine the top 10 finalists who then compete in the afternoon for first place. The winner will represent the state at the National Geographic Bee May 22-24 in Washington, D.C. The national winner receives a $25,000 college scholarship, a lifetime membership in the National Geographic Society and a trip to the Galapagos Islands.

This year’s bee will feature the Giant Traveling Map of the Pacific Ocean. The map, measuring 26 feet by 35 feet, gives students an interactive experience through content and activities that enliven the study of geography. Designed for kindergarten through eighth grade, the map will be on loan to the University of Alaska Fairbanks and the Alaska Geographic Alliance in March and April via National Geographic’s Giant Traveling Maps program, which is managed by National Geographic Live, the public programming division of the National Geographic Society.

For additional information on the National Geographic Bee please visit www.nationalgeographic.com/geobee.

Following is the full list of participants:


Anchorage
Inlet View Elementary School
Chinook Elementary School
Kincaid Elementary
IDEA - Anchorage
North Star Elementary School
Romig Middle School
Begich Middle School
Mountain View Elementary School
Susitna Elementary School
Mount Spurr Elementary
Abbott Loop Elementary
Central Middle School of Science
Clark Middle School
Faith Lutheran School
Hanshew Middle School
Kasuun Elementary School
Rilke Schule German School
Trailside Elementary
Denali Montessori
Lake Otis Elementary School
Rogers Park Elementary
Wendler Middle School
Wonder Park Elementary
Jane Mears Middle School
Ocean View Elementary School
Bear Valley Elementary School
Goldenview Middle School
Grace Chrisitan School
O'Malley Elementary School
Rabbit Creek Elementary
Aquarian Charter School
Northwood ABC
Turnagain Elementary
Anchor Lutheran
Barrow
Hopson Middle School
Ipalook Elementary
Bethel
Bethel Regional High/Middle School
Gladys Jung Elementary
Big Lake
Big Lake Elementary
Copper Center
Kenny Lake School
Cordova
Mt. Eccles Elementary
Craig
Craig Middle School
Delta Junction
Fort Greely School
Eagle River
Eagle Academy Charter School
Gruening Middle School
Homestead Elementary Sch
Eielson
Ben Eielson Jr/Sr High School
Fairbanks
Anne Wien Elementary School
Badger Road Elementary School
Barnette Magnet School
Denali Elementary School
Hunter Elementary School
IDEA- Fairbanks
Randy Smith Middle School
Ryan Middle School
Tanana Middle School
Ticasuk Brown Elementary School
Pearl Creek Elementary
Raven Correspondence School-Fairbanks
University Park Elementary
Fairhill Christain School
Gustavus
Gustavus School
Homer
Homer Middle School
McNeil Canyon Elementary School
West Homer Elementary School
Juneau
Auke Bay Elementary School
Dzantik'i Heeni Middle School
Floyd Dryden Middle School
Gastineau Community School
Glacier Valley Elem School
Harborview Elementary School
IDEA- Region SE
Mendenhall River Community School
Montessori Borealis
Riverbend Elementary
Kasilof
Tustumena Elementary
Kenai
Aurora Burealis Charter School
Grace Lutheran School
Kenai Middle School
Mountain View Elementary School
Nikiski North Star Elementary
Idea-Kenai
Ketchikan
Houghtaling Elementary School
Schoenbar Middle School
Tongass School of Arts & Sciences
Kodiak
East Elementary School
Kodiak Christian School
Kodiak Middle School
Peterson Elementary School
St. Mary's School
IDEA-Kodiak
Kotzebue
Kotzebue Middle School
Nikiski
Nikiski Middle/High School
North Pole
North Pole Middle School
Palmer
Academy Charter School
Birchtree Charter School
Palmer Junior Middle School
Sherrod Elementary
Petersburg
Mitkof Middle School
Sand Point
Sand Point School
Seldovia
Susan B English School
Seward
Seward Middle School
William H Seward Elementary School
Sitka
Blatchley Middle School
Keet Gooshi Heen Elementary
Soldotna
Redoubt Elementary School
River City Academy
Soldotna Elem School
Soldotna Middle School
Trapper Creek
Trapper Creek Elementary






ADDITIONAL CONTACTS: Marti Wynn, Alaska State Geographic Bee coordinator, 907-373-6941 or mawynn@mtaonline.net.

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