Fifth-Grader Wins The Langley School Geography Bee

Fifth-grader John Bitar won The Langley School’s 2020 Geography Bee on January 23 in the first round of a nationwide geography competition hosted by the National Geographic Society. With its focus on global places and cultures, the Geography Bee aligns with The Langley School’s mission to develop students who are inquisitive citizens of the world.

Ten Langley students in grades 4-8 were chosen to participate in the school’s Bee based on their scores on a qualifying test. During the competition, contestants answered a series of oral and written questions about both national and world geography, cultures, and civilizations.

As Langley’s winner, John will take a qualifying test to determine state competitors. Up to 100 of the top scorers on this written exam from each state will then face each other in their statewide Geography Bee this spring. State winners will eventually participate in the national championship in Washington, DC, where they will compete for cash prizes, scholarships, and an all-expenses-paid expedition to the Galapagos Islands aboard the National Geographic Endeavour II.

Grounded in a deep respect for childhood, The Langley School offers an exceptional community and an inquiry-based academic curriculum paired with a unique social-emotional program for students in preschool through grade 8. Since 1942, The Langley School has shaped confident, kind, self-aware learners who are prepared to thrive in the nation’s top high schools and beyond. To learn more, visit www.langleyschool.org.