Edgartown School students compete in Geography Bee

By Nis Kildegaard - January 11, 2007

Winning students from Edgartown School grades 5 through 8 faced off before an assembly of the entire student body on Monday morning for the final rounds of the Edgartown School Geography Bee. When all the questions had been read by moderator Betsy Hauck, pondered by the contestants and answered, the winner was eighth-grader James Bagnall and the runner-up was seventh-grader Conor Smith.

James Bagnall's name will be inscribed on a school plaque, and he will take a written test as he moves on to the next level of the competition, which is sponsored by the National Geographic Society. The national finals will be held May 22 and 23 in Washington, D.C., and the championship prize is a $25,000 college scholarship.

April Hargy and eighth-grader James Bagnall, the eventual winner.

The three rounds of Monday's competition focused on national parks, on identifying water bodies, and on identifying specific provinces and nations around the world.

James Bagnall won the geography bee when he was able to answer two questions in the championship round:

1. Mount Olympus, reaching an elevation of 9,570 feet, is the highest point in which European country?

2. Which West African country, a member of OPEC, is known for its major oil reserves and is one of the largest producers of oil in the world?

Times readers interested in testing their geography skills can find the answers to those questions and the following questions also asked during Monday's competition (including number 6, which stumped everyone) in the inverted box below.

1: Hammerfest, often referred to as the northernmost town in Europe, is located in what Scandinavian country?

Seventh-grader Conor Smith (center), the runner-up, ponders his answer as contestants Shane Donovan (left) and Kevin Cleary watch. Photos by Nis Kildegaard

2: Which Canadian province, separated from the mainland by Northumberland Strait, is the smallest province in area and population?

3: Long-lot settlement patterns are common in the southern region of what U.S. state, which has a strong French heritage?

4: Grand Coulee Dam, one of the largest concrete structures in the world, is a hydroelectric dam located on the Columbia River in which state?

5: Shenandoah National Park, dominated by hardwood forests in the mid-Appalachian region, includes 300 square miles of the Blue Ridge Mountains in which state?

6: In April 2006, pro-democracy demonstrations in Kathmandu and the surrounding countryside resulted in the king transferring power to the Parliament in which Asian country?

Click here for the answers

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