Britta Johnson Advances to New Hampshire Semi-Finals

Geography Bee at Keene State on March 27

March 23, 2015 • Saved under Kids
Press release
Britta Johnson was one of 104 middle school students from around the state who qualified to participate in the New Hampshire National Geographic Bee at Keene State College on March 27. Britta didn't quite become a finalist, much to her relief! Beside Britta is her father, Eric. Photo: Heide Johnson
Britta Johnson was one of 104 middle school students from around the state who qualified to participate in the New Hampshire National Geographic Bee at Keene State College on March 27. Britta didn’t quite become a finalist, much to her relief! Beside Britta is her father, Eric. Photo: Heide Johnson

Britta Johnson, an Andover Elementary/Middle School eighth grade student, was named National Geographic State Bee Semifinalist by the National Geographic Society. Britta is one of the semifinalists eligible to compete in the 2015 New Hampshire National Geographic State Bee, sponsored by Google and Plum Creek. The contest was held at Keene State College on March 27.

This is the second level of the National Geographic Bee competition, which is now in its 27th year. School Bees were held in schools with fourth- through eighth-grade students throughout the state to determine each school champion. School champions then took a qualifying test, which they submitted to the National Geographic Society.

The National Geographic Society has invited up to 100 of the top-scoring students in each of the 50 states, District of Columbia, Department of Defense Dependents Schools, and US territories to compete in the state Bees.

Each state champion will receive $100, the National Geographic Atlas of the World, 10th Edition, a medal, and a trip to Washington, DC, to represent their state in the National Geographic Bee Championship to be held at National Geographic Society headquarters on May 11 through 13. The national champion will receive a $50,000 college scholarship and lifetime membership in the Society.

The national champion will also travel (along with one parent or guardian), all expenses paid, to the Galápagos Islands, where he or she will experience geography firsthand through up-close encounters with the islands’ unique wildlife and landscapes. Travel for the trip is provided by Lindblad Expeditions and National Geographic. Visit NationalGeographic.com/geobee for more information on the National Geographic Bee.

National Geographic Channel and Nat Geo WILD will air the 2015 National Geographic Bee Championship final round, moderated by award-winning journalist Soledad O’Brien, on Friday, May 15, at 8 PM. The final round will be aired later on public television stations. Check local television listings for air date and time in your area.

How would you fare as a Bee contestant? At the school Bees this year, students had to answer such questions as:

  • Six-time Super Bowl champions, the Pittsburgh Steelers, play football near the source of the Ohio River in which state—Alabama or Pennsylvania? (Pennsylvania)
  • Balboa Park, with more than ten museums, performing arts centers, and gardens, is located in which southern California city? (San Diego)
  • Taylor Swift performed songs from her album Red last summer in Kuala Lumpur, the capital of which Asian country that borders the South China Sea? (Malaysia)
  • Disney’s blockbuster movie Frozen is set in the fictional land of Arendelle, which was largely inspired by the country of Norway. Norway is located on which European peninsula? (Scandinavian Peninsula)