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North Branch Area Middle School (NBAMS) eighth grader Noah Hubbard has been preparing for this year's geography bee since last year's state contest, at which he missed qualifying for the second round by just one question. He hopes to advance further this year.

He took a big step toward that goal last week, winning the NBAMS geography bee for the second year in a row. To accomplish that, Hubbard survived two written rounds held in November, and the final round, a double elimination oral round, on December 9. To win the oral round Hubbard correctly stated "Greece," thus answering the question, "Which Mediterranean country, located at the southern end of the Balkan Peninsula, is Europe's largest exporter of cotton?"

In hopes of qualifying for state, Hubbard will take a 70 question written test in January, which will be submitted to the National Geographic Society. If he scores in the top 100 of school bee winners across the state of Minnesota, he will be invited to the state bee, in April in St. Cloud, MN.

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