Wyoming student named Minnesota National Geographic Bee semifinalist

The National Geographic Society (NGS) has notified Lakes International Language Academy sixth grader Elliot Krohnke that he is one of the 100 semifinalists eligible to compete in the 2012 Minnesota National Geographic Bee. Bees were held in schools with fourth- through eighth-grade students throughout the state to determine each school’s Bee winner. School-level winners then took a qualifying test, which they submitted to the NGS. Students with the top 100 scores were invited to compete at the state level. 

The 2012 Minnesota National Geographic Bee will be held at St. Cloud State University on Friday, March 30, 2012. Google and Plum Creek, a private U.S. landowner in the timber harvesting and wood products business, sponsor the event. 

Could YOU win the Geographic Bee? At the school-level bee this year, students  answered such questions as: 

The Bitterroot Range is located on the border between Montana and which other state? Answer: Idaho 

 Which city on the Great Lakes has the largest population? Answer: Chicago 

The Stuttgart region, an important automobile manufacturing center, is located near the Black Forest in which country? Answer: Germany 

What word is used to describe the side of a mountain that faces the prevailing winds? Answer: windward 

This is the second year that Krohnke has participated in the National Geographic Bee. He practices throughout the year in the Geography Club, an in-school elective available to fourth through sixth graders at LILA, and studies National Geographic magazines, his World Atlas, and his National Geographic application on his iPod. 

Elliot said, “I couldn’t wait to get my first atlas so I could read it over and over.” His mom, Laine Krohnke, agrees he has found one of his talents. She said he has always had an interest in maps and making maps and guesses he will be some kind of explorer one day, because “he just loves studying the world.” 

The state winner will receive $100, the “Complete National Geographic on DVD,” and a trip to Washington, DC, where he or she will represent Minnesota in the national finals at NGS headquarters, May 22-24, 2012. The first place national winner receives a $25,000 college scholarship, a lifetime membership to NGS, and a trip to the Galapagos Islands. 

LILA is a public K-6 International Baccalaureate World School offering both Spanish and Mandarin Chinese immersion tracks tuition-free to area children. LILA will host an open house for interested families on Saturday, March 24, from 10-11:30 a.m. and a school tour on Wednesday, April 11, from 8:30–10 a.m. Call 651-464-0771 today to reserve a space. For more information visit www.LakesIn ternational.org. 

The National Geographic Society (NGS) has notified Lakes International Language Academy sixth grader Elliot Krohnke that he is one of the 100 semifinalists eligible to compete in the 2012 Minnesota National Geographic Bee. Bees were held in schools with fourth- through eighth-grade students throughout the state to determine each school’s Bee winner. School-level winners then took a qualifying test, which they submitted to the NGS. Students with the top 100 scores were invited to compete at the state level. 
 

The 2012 Minnesota National Geographic Bee will be held at St. Cloud State University on Friday, March 30, 2012. Google and Plum Creek, a private U.S. landowner in the timber harvesting and wood products business, sponsor the event. 

Could YOU win the Geographic Bee? At the school-level bee this year, students  answered such questions as: 

The Bitterroot Range is located on the border between Montana and which other state? Answer: Idaho 
 

 Which city on the Great Lakes has the largest population? Answer: Chicago 

The Stuttgart region, an important automobile manufacturing center, is located near the Black Forest in which country? Answer: Germany 

What word is used to describe the side of a mountain that faces the prevailing winds? Answer: windward 
 

This is the second year that Krohnke has participated in the National Geographic Bee. He practices throughout the year in the Geography Club, an in-school elective available to fourth through sixth graders at LILA, and studies National Geographic magazines, his World Atlas, and his National Geographic application on his iPod. 

Elliot said, “I couldn’t wait to get my first atlas so I could read it over and over.” His mom, Laine Krohnke, agrees he has found one of his talents. She said he has always had an interest in maps and making maps and guesses he will be some kind of explorer one day, because “he just loves studying the world.” 
 

The state winner will receive $100, the “Complete National Geographic on DVD,” and a trip to Washington, DC, where he or she will represent Minnesota in the national finals at NGS headquarters, May 22-24, 2012. The first place national winner receives a $25,000 college scholarship, a lifetime membership to NGS, and a trip to the Galapagos Islands. 
 

LILA is a public K-6 International Baccalaureate World School offering both Spanish and Mandarin Chinese immersion tracks tuition-free to area children. LILA will host an open house for interested families on Saturday, March 24, from 10-11:30 a.m. and a school tour on Wednesday, April 11, from 8:30–10 a.m. Call 651-464-0771 today to reserve a space. For more information visit www.LakesIn ternational.org.