by Justin Glyshaw, 8th grade American Studies

Remington Swade

Caden Burrows

Evan Kobayashi

Who knew that geography could be exciting?
That was certainly the case last Friday, January 7, when the Cedar Springs Middle School held their annual geography bee.
Students in the American Studies classes in both seventh and eighth grade competed in preliminary rounds in December before the holiday break, sending two students from each class to compete in the CSMS bee.
In the semi-final round of competition, students each answered the same ten questions.  All questions were based on knowledge of United States geography. Students with the most correct answers then moved on to the final round of questions. Those making it to the final round included Caden Burrows, Derrick Chong, Logan McGahn, Justin Jones, Mackenzie Weiler, Hannah Serek, Evan Kobayashi, Allyson Marvel, Remington Swade, Kyle Spahr and Jonathan Wolfarth.
The first 10 questions of the final round was a 3-strike process. At the third incorrect answer a student was eliminated. Students again were asked questions about US geography, but this time they were asked to read a map to identify the longitude and latitude to locate the correct state. The field of 13 was whittled down to the final three, Remington Swade, Evan Kobayahsi, and Caden Burrows. The three were neck and neck until Remington missed his third question leaving only Kobayashi, with 2 strikes against him, and Burrows with only one strike. The final three questions were:
3. The Morris Reservoir, which supplies water for Pasadena, is in what state?
Both Kobayashi and Burrows responded correctly with California.
2. A frog-jumping contest is one way the city of Hannibal celebrates Tom Sawyer Days.  This city is located on the Mississippi River in what state?
This time only Evan, due to his knowledge from reading Twain, knew the answer was Missouri.
The score being tied and 2 strikes apiece, the entire competition came down to one final question:
1. The Pecos River flows past Carlsbad before it crosses into Texas from what other state?
Evan Kobayashi managed to answer New Mexico correctly, thereby handing Burrows a second place finish for the second year in a row. As a seventh grader, Caden also finished second to Alexis Lucarelli, a semi-finalist this year.
Kobayashi, a student in Mr. Marten’s Green House American Studies class, was all smiles as he received his champion medal. Evan will now have an opportunity to move on to the state-level competition in which cash and prizes are possible. We’ll keep you updated on his progress in the National Geography Bee competition as we hear more.
Congratulation to all participants this year!