RES Scholar Wins School Level Geo-Bee #resvt #cesuvt #vted

Oren Beckwith, a fourth grade student at Richmond Elementary School in Lise Erickson's class,

won the school-level competition of the National Geographic Bee on December 18, 2013 and a chance at a $50,000 college scholarship. The school-level Bee, at which students answered oral questions on geography, was the first round in the 26th annual National Geographic Bee. This year’s Bee is sponsored by Google (visit http://maps.google.com/help/maps/education/).

The kickoff for this year’s Bee was the week of November 11, with thousands of schools around the United States and in the five U.S. territories participating. The school winners, including Oren, will now take a written test; up to 100 of the top scorers on that test in each state will then be eligible to compete in their state Bee April 4, 2014.

The National Geographic Society will provide an all-expenses –paid trip to Washington, D.C., for state champions and teacher-escorts to participate in the Bee national championships roundsMay 19-21, 2014. The first-place national winner will receive a $50,000 college scholarship, a lifetime membership in the Society, and a trip to the Galapagos Islands, courtesy of Lindblad Expeditions and National Geographic (visit www.expeditions.com).

Award-winning journalists Soledad O’Brien will moderate the national finals on May 21. The program will air on television. Check local listings for dates and times.

Everyone can test their geography knowledge with the exciting GeoBee Challenge, an online geography quiz at www.nationalgeographic.com/geobee, which poses 10 new questions a day, or by downloading the “National Geographic GeoBee Challenge” app, with more than 1,000 questions culled from past Bees, from the App Store on iPhone, iPod touch and iPad; from the Android Market; or for Nook Color.

 For more information, visit www.nationalgeographic.com.