Whiz Kids: St. Michael, Albertville Students Strut Their Geography Stuff

Last Friday morning, the world was brought to.Ten students–the geographic geniuses of MSW–faced a crowd of 800 for the Third Annual Middle School West Geography Bee. 

The entire student body at West participates in the preliminary rounds, which yielded 32 semifinalists, composed of eight students from each grade. From there, those finalists answered a series of questions to narrow down to the top ten in the school.  Successfully navigating those opening rounds were, in alphabetical order, Dylan Brown (Grade 7), Cam Brunet (6), Noah Carpenter (8), Brenden Devine (7), Brandon Heiber (8), Kyle Klocke (7), Chase Liefert (5), Dylan Lindenfelser (8), Brendan Thorp (8), and Emily Turnquist (8). Two alternates included Elijah Rice (8) and Brett Lee (8)

The format was simple. These 10 would be narrowed down to two for the Bee's Championship Round. They would be asked a series of questions, increasing in difficulty, about national and world geography. Some questions would require an oral response, others written. All answers had to be given in 15 seconds or less. Two misses, and you’re out.

It took six rounds to round out the top three, which included Brunet, Carpenter, and Liefert.  It took another three rounds after that to determine the final pairing of Brunet and Carpenter.  Liefert, only a fifth-grader, earned third place and left the stage the cheers and applause of the students at West, who were clearly impressed with the young man’s push in to the late rounds.

The Championship round was set for a showdown between sixth-grader Brunet and eighth-grader Carpenter. The two students were asked three questions, and the student with the best score after the round of three would be crowned champion. Both answered the first question correctly, Carpenter missed the second, and Brunet missed the third to send the competition into a single elimination tiebreaker. The audience, clearly entertained, roared with applause and the pounding of feet in the bleachers.

The first tiebreaking question turned out to be the last of the day. Cologne Cathedral, the largest Gothic Church in northern Europe, is located in the Rhineland region of what country? Brunet said “Great Britain." Carpenter answered “Germany!”…and with that, Noah Carpenter was crowned the Middle School West Geography Bee champion!

The audience erupted in cheers and a look that was a mix of shock and joy came over Noah’s face.

Noah advances to the next level of competition, a written examination to determine state competitors. From there he will hopefully advance to the national competition in Washington D.C., where first price is a $25,000 college scholarship.

After the Bee Noah was asked how he felt. “I wasn’t too nervous. I actually wasn’t sure on the very last question–and had to guess.”

Principal Andy Merfeld extended his to congratulations to Noah, and to all the participants in this year’s Geography Bee.

Are you smarter than a fifth-grader? 

Championship Round Questions:

1. Barrier islands help shelter a nature reserve on Apalachicola Bay, an arm of what large Gulf?

2. Name the Asian country at the eastern edge of the South China Sea that includes about 7,100 islands.

3. Timbuktu, a center of caravan trade for almost a thousand years, is located north of the Niger river in which landlocked country?

Answers:

1. Gulf of Mexico

2. Philippines

3. Mali