Schools
West Des Moines Students Aim for National Geographic Bee
Four students are semifinalists in the competition that tests students knowledge of geography and aims to increase U.S. students' proficiency in geography.
Four West Des Moines Community Schools students are semifinalists to the 2013 Iowa National Geographic Bee, according to a story on the school district’s web site.
The students are Westridge fifth grader Pramit Vyas, Jordan Creek fifth grader Animesh Joshi, Indian Hills eighth grader Kacey Baker and eighth grader Ben Koele.
Bees were held for students in fourth through eighth grade around the state, and then winners at each school took a qualifying tests.
National Geographic says geography literacy is crucial, yet America lags far behind – ranking ahead of only Mexico in one recent survey in geographic knowledge. What do schools need to do for the United States to catch up? Tell us in the comments.
Students with the top 100 scores were invited to compete at the state competition, which will be held April 5 on Des Moines Area Community College’s Ankeny Campus.
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Winners there will advance to the national finals, to be held in Washington, DC May 20-22.
Related: Last year, then Stilwell Junior High seventh grader John Mahoney made it to the national finals. VIDEO: West Des Moines Whiz Kid Headed to National Geographic Bee
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