Dominic Mein of Woodinville Wins Bear Creek Geography Bee

Dominic Mein, Woodinville resident and 8^th grader at The Bear Creek School in Redmond, won the school-level competition for the National Geographic Bee on Jan. 12 and a chance at a $25,000 college scholarship. The winning question was: “In 1962, Algeria gained its independence from which European country?” (Answer: France). The school-level Bee, at which students answered oral questions on geography, was the first round in the 24^th annual National Geographic Bee. This year’s Bee is sponsored by Google (visit www.google.com/educators/geo).

The kickoff for this year’s Bee was the week of Nov. 14,2011, with thousands of schools around the United States and in the five U.S. territories participating. The school winners, including Dominic Mein, will now take a written test; up to 100 of the top scorers on that test in each state will then be eligible to compete in their state Bee on March 30.

The National Geographic Society will provide an all-expenses-paid trip to Washington, D.C., for state champions and teacher-escorts to participate in the Bee national championship rounds May 22-24. The first-place national winner will receive a $25,000 college scholarship, a lifetime membership in the Society, and a trip to the Galapagos Islands, courtesy of Lindblad Expeditions and National Geographic (visit www.expeditions.com).

“Jeopardy!” host Alex Trebek will moderate the national finals on May 24. The program will air on television. Check local listings for dates and times.

Everyone can test their geography knowledge with the exciting GeoBee Challenge, an online geography quiz at www.nationalgeographic.com/geobee, which poses 10 new questions a day, or by downloading the “National Geographic GeoBee Challenge” app, with more than 1,000 questions culled from past Bees, from the App Store on iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad; from the Android Market; or for Nook Color.

Information from The Bear Creek School.