AE/MS Students Participate in Geography Bee

The next step is to qualify for the state level

January 26, 2017 • Saved under AE/MS
By James Tucker, AE/MS
The geography bee finalists respond to questions on their white boards as they work their way through the grueling rounds. Students Left to right: Cedar Kiedaisch, Lily Menard, Jesse Niemyer, Jarrett Benson, Miles Hurlbutt, Oliver Andrews, Lagan Salathe, Gus Kiedaisch (leaning on table), Morgan Quinn (waving under table), Ashley Wolf, James Clough, and Jaimes Southworth. Caption: Jane Slayton, Photo: James Tucker

The Geography Bee is held in more than 11,000 schools across the country, inspiring students to be curious about the world. The question content is designed to increase the students’ knowledge of the world through competition and fun.

Mr. Tucker, the fifth through eighth grade Social Studies teacher, congratulates Gus Kiedaisch on his victory. Caption: Jane Slayton, Photo: James Tucker

The competition began in the classrooms with every student in grades five through eight competing for a spot in the school round of the Geography Bee. With questions ranging from world geography to United States geography, the challenge for the students was at a very high level. Some clues for questions were based on interesting science facts or just the seven continents of the world. In the end it came down to a student’s base knowledge of world geography.

In the school competition there were eight geography experts competing for the title of AE/MS Geography Bee Champion. The eight experts gave their all.

From the fifth grade, Oliver Andrews, Miles Hurlbutt; from the sixth grade, Lagan Salathe, and Gus Kiedaisch; from the seventh grade, Jesse Niemyer and Lily Menard; and from the eighth grade, Cedar Kiedaisch and Jarrett Benson. These were the finalists that faced each other head to head with a supportive audience of their fellow classmates. This was in the same open format like the first round.

The students put forth a fabulous effort and the competition was full of entertainment. In the end, Gus took the title of Andover’s 2016-2017 Geography Bee Champ!!! Way to Go Gus!

The next step for Gus is to take an online test and hope he makes the grade to be selected to compete at the state level. The staff, students, and the Andover community want to wish Gus the best of luck as he moves through the process.