Local Boy to Test Geography Skills at State Geography Bee

Young geography buffs across the U.S. will participate in state-level Geographic Bees on Friday, vying for a spot in the national competition in Washington, D.C., in May. National Geographic first created the Bee in 1989 to address concern about the lack of geographic knowledge among the United States' younger generations.

Up to 100 fourth- to eighth-graders in each of the 50 states have qualified for the state finals, and the 50 winners will receive $100, "The Complete National Geographic" on DVD and an all-expenses-paid trip to Washington, D.C., for the national finals May 24-25, where they'll have the chance to become the next National Geographic Bee champion.

First prize in the national competition is a $25,000 college scholarship and lifetime membership in the National Geographic Society. Second- and third-place finishers receive $15,000 and $10,000 college scholarships, respectively. National Geographic also wants the national winner (and a parent or guardian) to experience geography firsthand with an all-expenses-paid trip to the Galápagos Islands.

Louis Croquette, a 7th grader at Media's , is one of the 100 geography whizzes competing in Pennsylvania's final. The state Bees are the second level of the annual National Geographic Bee. The first level began in November in nearly 12,000 U.S. schools, with millions of students participating nationwide. Louis was good enough to answer some questions for Patch about the experience so far.

Patch: What did it take to get to the state-level competition?
Louis: It took studying and having a good memory. You have to know capitals and important facts like current events. You also have to know how to read a diagram and maps.

Patch: How are you feeling now that the Bee is right around the corner? Are you nervous or excited?
Louis: Definitely nervous. Excited too. There's always pressure and suspense.  Pressure for studying because I am representing all of Springton Lake and Rose Tree Media School District.

Patch: How have you been preparing for the Bee?
Louis: Telling myself that I can do it if I study enough. I have a lot of homework, so I don't always have a lot of extra time to study and prepare. My mom quizzes me on the capitals of countries. That's basically it.

Patch: Is this your first big Bee competition, or have you been in anything like this before?
Louis: I was in the Geography Bee at Rose Tree (Elementary), but that was just for our school. Nothing this big before. When I was in the elementary Geography Bee, I remember the question that eliminated me. It was 'what country has the capital of Kuala Lumpur?' I was deciding between Indonesia and Malaysia. I said Indonesia. I got it wrong. I'll always remember that the answer is Malaysia.