GARVEY EMERGES AS GEOGRAPHY BEE CHAMPION

Nick Garvey received a medal and savings bond from Dan Stover, social studies teacher and event coordinator.

India borders what two land-locked countries in the Himalayas? What Great Lakes canal was constructed in the early 1800s? Large numbers of passengers began riding what type of transportation on the Mississippi River after 1820?

The above were just a few of the challenging questions for sixth and seventh grade social studies students in the Jackson Middle School Geography Bee last week.

Nick Garvey, son of Joseph and Mary Ann Garvey, emerged as school champion. He will now take a written test for state competition and may get to compete for scholarship money in Washington, D.C., in April.

Twenty-four students began the bee. The number was cut to eight competitors entering Thursday's final and championship rounds -- Julie Burnette, Garvey, Dustin Mayfield, Tyler McNeely, Scott Pfeiffer, Aaron Redecker, Sam Sander and Steffan Troxel. Two incorrect answers would eliminate each competitor during the final round.

Early questions were based on a U.S. map of per capita income per state. Students were asked various questions that would test their recognition of the shape and locations of states, as well as their graphics-reading ability.

Burnett, Garvey, Pfeiffer and Sander remained alive as the field was cut in half. Burnett was then eliminated, followed by Sander.

The championship round between Garvey and Pfieffer then began. Each were given three sets of questions. They tied, each getting one of three. Both missed the state in which the center of U.S. population is located. (Missouri) Both correctly answered "Havana" to the capital city of the only Communist country in the Caribbean. Both missed the country from whom East Tiber declared independence in Sept., 1999. (Russia).

Three tie-breaker questions were needed to get a champion.

Both missed "Indiana borders what two land-locked countries in the Himalayas?" (Nepal and Bhutan) Both then correctly answered "In June, 1999 the U.S. and Canada signed a treaty to protect what species of fish?" (salmon)

Garvey finally garnered the championship on the third question, "The Wimbledon tennis tournament is located near what European capital city?" The answer was London.

"It feels great," Garvey said afterward. "I'm really happy."

He and Pfeiffer received medals and savings bonds from social studies teacher Dan Stover, who initiated the geography bee at North Elementary, before bringing it to the new middle school five years ago.

The local bee was the first round in the 12th annual national Geographic Bee, sponsored by the National Geographic Society. Garvey will now take a written test, along with school champions across Missouri. Up to 100 of the top scorers in each state and territory will be eligible to compete in their state bee April 7.

The National Geographic Society will provide an all-expenses-paid trip to Washington, D.C., for state champions and their teacher-escorts to participate in the National Geographic Bee national championship May 23-24. The first place winner will receive a $25,000 college scholarship.

Alex Trebek, host of the TV game show "Jeopardy" will moderate the national finals. The program will be produced by Maryland Public Television and will air on PBS stations.

The National Geographic Society developed the bee in response to a growing concern about the lack of geographic knowledge among young people in the United States. A 10-country Gallup survey conducted for the society in 1988 and 1989 found that people in the U.S. ages 18-24 knew less about geography than young people in any of the other countries in the survey.