Eighth-Grader Wins First-Ever Jane Addams Geography Bee

Photo: Annabeth Yeung shows her answer to a question about the Outer Banks during Wednesday’s Geography Bee at Jane Addams Middle School.

They answered lots of questions about oceans and states and continents. But when it was all over, eight-grader Josh Rybialek was the champion of Wednesday’s Geography Bee at Jane Addams Middle School.

He earns the right to take an online geography test in hopes of being one of 100 students selected to compete in National Geographic’s state contest March 31 and ultimately nationals in May.

Josh correctly answered a relatively simple question about what lake borders Chicago (Lake Michigan) to edge fellow eighth-grader Cristian Melendez who was unable to come up with the answer to a question about the mountain range that is on the California-Nevada border (Sierra Nevada).

Brent Wasick, a 7th grader, finished third, dropping out in the seventh round.

Nearly a dozen students competed for the title, answering multiple choice questions in such categories as state savvy, history happens, ocean wonders, weird but true, world of science, odd one out and culture connection. Anyone who missed two questions in one category was eliminated.

The Geography Bee was sponsored by the Addams social studies department in conjunction with the Mustangs Scholastic Bowl team.

Submitted by Valley View School District