Marion schools hold geography bee
For students competing in the National Geography Bee not only is it important to know the location of places, but one also must have a pretty good grasp of current events.
Students at Marion Elementary and Marion Middle schools last week competed in local geography bees, sponsored by the National Geographic Society.
Fifth grader Eric Vogel was the winner of the Marion Elementary School bee, while eighth grader Kirk Hansen won the Marion Middle School bee.
"The students all prepare for this on an individual basis," said instructor Nancy Hansen said. "They practice on their own at home using maps, by reading the newspaper, and using information they learned at school."
Preparation for the local bees began in October, she said.
The wins qualified both students for state competition which consists of taking a written test, Hansen explained.
From the written test, the top 100 scorers qualify for state competition in April.
During Marion Elementary's bee Dec. 11, fifth grader Jaclyn DeForest placed second, while third grader Matt Thierolf, an alternate, placed third.
Other MES participants were sixth graders Adam Regnier and Luke Gordon; fifth grader, Louis Holt; and fourth graders Matt Sprawl, Donna Cady, and E.J. Obermeyer. Sixth grader Mitchell Leppke was a finalist, but unable to attend the competition.
During preliminary rounds at MES on Dec. 4, the top three students in grades four and five were selected for the school bee. The top four finishers from the sixth grader were allowed to compete.
The geography bee at Marion Middle School was held Friday.
Emily Unruh took second place, while Hank Collett took third. Both students are seventh graders.
Others participating in the bee at MMS were Kyle Hett, Lee Ownbey, Joel Zeiner, Riley Ross, Brett Billings, Colby Hett, and Chase Williams.
