Road To The Geo Bee

This is National Geographic Channel presents. Nicaragua. Siberia. And. Enjoyed. Each year nearly five million students go head to head in one of the most grueling and competitive test in geographic knowledge. Their goal. Winning the National Geographic Bee. Who will be number one in 2006 life her fourth place winner. A girl with divine inspiration. Or. A rookie. This is National Geographic Channel Brazil. Reno Nevada famous for gambling and bliss. Is now striking it rich with Paige DiPaolo a two time winner of the state Geographic. The. Wedding is nice the national level but at the school level winning is everything. In 2006 this seventh grader from the little flower school is competing for her third state crown the prize. Representing Nevada again at the 18th National Geographic Bee in Washington

D.C. If she makes it. She'll be one of 55 finalists contending for $50000 in scholarships for the top three finishers and the only girl to ever compete three times. To get on a high. And the preseason games right. Here. Her unlikely ally is a nun from Dublin Ireland who has been preparing local children for the contest since 1990. I heard. On the radio. About the National Geographic The very first year just heard about this. And taught me a great chance for them to study geography and to be interested in the world geography is so much fun. It's like everything all mixed into one it's the world and everything on it and then she's good she has a good memory. That's the whole thing I think in all the chair members what you told her. What kind of role does this one. Conservatives love to see a working order. I really would.

Well she fires these questions at me I'm just sort of like OK OK for conversations you're. Not. Associate with the Isle of Man was the captain of Columbia Bogota right. Carter Hainer. That peninsula that juts out into the lands and. Devon and Cornwall. Where is the second. One Sure. Kaido. A condo. Are you sure. Know him as you have these. Are you sure. It will make you second guess when you've got the right answer. So you'll change your answer. It's a real life. No. The first the answer is right. It's like what you said. Are you sure. It's very intimidating. If you want to win you pay the price. COLMES Why do you think. Balancing the busy life of a 12 year old girl and studying for the beach every day is not easy. Even younger sister Donna watches to ensure page is doing her

utmost to win. I try to watch your style the way she does her homework and I can't see her this way. She's not studying. She tells me loud and clear pig's food is. Red paint is up a little bit. That's it. Her other sister Gwyn is also an inspiration. Before moving on to the state finals Paige defeated her and five other students in the school geography contest at the competition this year. We were the top two and I told her we be the top two. When doesn't mind being second fiddle to page that she's going to push her to. While. Swimming. I want to beat her sometimes when she beats me on butterfly. But I usually. Get it. But the competition is down and dirty. All the cards are down you got to put the best you can have and not care like you go. All I have to get this wrong so she has a better chance to play. This works.

I'd be very happy if she did it. And for the sake of the school on. You know. Nevada. I'm always telling her you know we'd like to win. Because it was the boys only one girl has ever won the national title for the new champion. The teachers at her school have faith that Paige could be next. Some kids are just driven from within to be that certain way and that's exactly the way page is. There's nothing that we've done to make her that way. That's just who she is. She wants to answer every question by trying to get to class a little more in the fall. It's very easy for them to just say that's OK. Paige was that's the question and we'll move on. So I try to say the hard ones first. The Gatsby purchase. When I'm confused on questions like goes beyond the question she helps me more than just what I needed. She's very smart athletic shoes trustworthy

and she can be a great friend. I can be smart. In the fifth grade. During her first day competition Paige surprised her parents and teacher kids are missing questions and Paige wasn't getting eliminated. Paige is still there and that you know that she is going through what she's worried about two. Is going to be first or second. I couldn't believe this. I didn't expect her to win. It didn't sink in until later that day. I was just sort of like you know song. Paige was the youngest student at the nationals in 2004 but didn't make the top 10. She returned in 2005 aiming to do better. I just expect myself to do good as state level. And then whatever happens at nationals is just the icing on the cake. The Nationals can be anything but sweet coming up with the right answer. Often means quickly sorting through the wrong ones. Like last year Paige was asked

what capital is located on the Liffey river. And she thought about it and she thought about it and she thought about it. I asked for a review. So I have 24 seconds. So all the countries in Western Europe and find out which ones capital cities aren't on the Liffey river. And she's up there like the wheels are spinning wheels and I end up with Germany or Ireland and boy what's the thing sound like. And then she'd like the times almost out and she points out Dublin Ireland. Correct. She's an Irish not. Really good. I got. Her lucky guess wasn't enough to crack the top 10. This year more than prayers will be needed if Paige hopes to win. She's tackling her weakness. Current Affairs. Pretty windows on the grindstone. But today we just went over the face. I started listening to NPR in the car. So I think her current events are stronger. Probably not as strong as they need

to be and probably her history is a little bit on the weak side. And after three determined years she has only one goal in mind. It's like you get started you have to finish it. You don't just start like a reporter leave it half done. I finished the first one and a half pages of a two page report I saw when nationals I got to do a full We got two more chances. It's going to happen. But Page's road to the national finals is a bumpy one. During the state competition near Las Vegas whoever correctly answers the most questions in the preliminary round makes it to the final round in December 2005. More than 100 people were killed when an airplane crashed at Port Harcourt airport in populous country East.

That's incorrect. The answer is Nigeria. I was concerned when another would make the top down. I was very upset with myself. That was my stupid point of the day. However the seven correct answers are enough to get her into the Nevada state finals. Once you get into the competition room it's like. Total focus. You can't what's the question like drag you down because otherwise you'll get distraught and you won't be able to do any better in the rest of the rounds. Here we go. First question you're right in the final round. The questions are harder to thin out the competitors not the United Kingdom but in Italy until only page and eighth grader Mayaguez are fighting for the top spot. Name coach Kurt Warner goes on the coast and saw. All

that. He says is learned early on that answer in a three question tiebreaker. Maya misses one answer. Paige knows all the answers. This. Donation I like putrefying calmer and take more time to think. She says the Jew athlete that she's been training to be Paige DiPaolo is one of seven girls to make it to this year's National Finals. And she's achieved a milestone. The first girl to qualify three times in 2006 this veteran just might have enough experience to win it all. March 30 First it's the day of the National Geographic Bee state finals across the country. Here in Chicago. The defending Illinois champion is about to arrive. We'll start with you Bonnie Jane.

Last year Bonnie Jean placed fourth in the national contest. That's the highest you can be and still compete again next year. That's because only the top three finishers win scholarships. Bonnie is determined to be in the money in 2006. Close to 100 students grades fourth through eight will battle here in Chicago at the world famous Field Museum. And if he wins the state championship again he already has another goal inside. I want to get first place since. Bonnie's love of geography developed early in life. Wow I was like five years old my parents got this for me. I had the phrase embrace can change languages in a little math a little maps in the end and I just won't do that. And. That's when I fell in love with geography and watched the geography when I was like five or six years old and I really I mean then it was like wow how the heck can you possibly answer these kind of questions.

Bonnie which borders more countries Yemen or Brazil Brazil Brazil is correct. Last year Bonnie didn't miss a single question at the Illinois be. He's poised to repeat that performance today after Bonnie and nine others are perfect scores in the preliminary round. It's on to the finals. Will he succeed. Back in his hometown of Moline. His teachers and fellow students at the Wilson middle school are pretty confident the eighth grader will win. I would say that Bonnie is probably the most conscientious student hardest working student. In some ways sort of hard to be a teacher because it keeps you on your toes. If you don't know an answer you can't fake it. Social Studies teacher Kelly Mulcahy ordinated the geographic B at Wilson middle school. He always participated willing to answer questions. Never cocky never boastful in any means whatsoever. The kids all accepted him very well. Is Kind of. Like a

Human-Computer I guess you can say where he can spit out these answers that take place. Funny. They. Will. He's like really smart. And he like back in class he knows all the answers. Like sometimes to like prove the teacher wrong or something that's really funny. He's really funny actually. And like if anybody has a question they always ask by his helpful back at the Illinois state the battle for number one rages on. To. South America. This. Is. Why. There are now only two students left. Bonnie and seventh grader Zach Blumenfeld.

Motivating Bonnie has never been an issue for this Indian family. He tries to do his best death tries to learn as much as he can. He has been like one of us Fornes kind of absorbing things. His love of learning led him to eighth grade orchestra and even the National Spelling Bee. He's returning to Washington D.C. this year for another run at that crown as well. But he's also a big fan of Moleyns most famous business. The John Deere Company itself presents like a house. Somebody just came from nowhere and have found it a great business to show it to anybody if you really try then you will make it big. I mean the sheer magnitude. And. How. It functions as is just amazing. It's not something you see everyday. It shapes the city. Bunny's parents just like his teachers often feel their roles reverse.

Earlier kind of learning from us not very frequently. I'm learning from him. I mean without having this interest there's no way you would spend those endless hours studying about different places. Jack he's a lot more naps That's just two dimensions. It's a people and two people who shaped island it's your planet and you should understand it. I pay attention to news a lot that's really important US everything I looked at the movies will just not be in my memories when you see it. But he couldn't study three hours a day for the geographic beat without some help. His little sister Rhea often keeps her company. My sister she's she's like for moral support. Last year she. Says she made one quite good at geography. It was awesome. I know she is in Florida. Last year support even came from continents far away. Both sets of grandparents are very proud of Bunny. They woke up at 4:30 in the morning

and kind of the call of what happened last year. Bonnie made it to the final round of the national championship when his memory failed him. Top row Bonnie Kursk lost sight of one of the largest tank battles of World War II was located on the border of Russia and which other country Finland. Now. Ukraine. They don't realize that they wouldn't be having a tank battle in the Arctic. So we say goodbye to our youngest competitor Bonnie Jane. We see you again. After Bonnie's loss last year. He obviously has the desire to triumph in 2006. But first he must win the final round of the Illinois state finals 70 percent unemployment. And a severe fuel shortage. It virtually paralyzed economic activity in one country east of Botswana. Mozambique Mozambique money Zimbabwe. Zimbabwe is the correct

answer. Bonnies hard work pays off. He beat Zach Blumenfeld. Winning is not everything is almost the only thing. I mean you learn stuff and you you get a better understanding. The family celebrates with a quick tour of the field museum. Bonnie is already pondering his chances of winning in D.C. in about two months. I think at first they say let's keep on working here. And then there's always love track actually win or lose the geographic bee does come with a bonus. Meeting like minded battings and like minded I think. Yeah and that was the best thing that was. Good in. That. Day. Back at Wilson middle school. Everyone celebrates Bonny's victory at the state

championship. Good morning. This is OK. Welcome back. I don't know if you have all heard but over spring break body Jane competed in the National Geographic Bee and blew the competition away. His prior experience and love for geography make him a serious contender for winning it all. This year's National Geographic beat championship. Way to go Dani. Kaido is to Japan as soula Swayze is to one Indonesian. That's correct. The Maryland State Geographic beat the championship is up for grabs. Last year's winner has made it to the final round which is southwest European capital believed to have been founded by the Phoenicians and later occupied by the romans is located near the mouth of the Tigris River. Eighth grader Jay Plamann enjoy some good guesses along the way.

Listen correct and wins the competition. I wasn't expecting to win. Even my dad and I were joking before the rounds that are saying what Randy think I'll get out and J-school St. John's has never sent a student to the National Geographic Bee finals. He will be one of 42 first timers in this year's championship. Jay president of the school's national junior honor society almost made it to the final round in Maryland last year. His victory this year also surprised his teachers and parents. I was watching as they were doing the final competition and Jay was one of five at one point who had no misses. I kept watching and he was down to the top three. And behold all of a sudden there were three of them up there. And that's I think when I looked at my wife and said Oh my gosh you can win this thing.

The bigger of. Jay's family is passionate about geography. Even his grandfather hails from Vermont. To prepare him for the national championship there is no. The Balkan Peninsula. So the Balkan mountains so he'll be right there on the phone and he'll be asking questions and always thinking of them and if I can't think of him I'm going to the atlas. So it's it's a good way to learn I think Jay I'll say Grandpa home I suppose to know that he'll say now that this is something you should know. So he comes up with all these very intricate crazy questions for him. But my dad was the same way growing up with us. We go up for Christmas time. My dad has a big quiz for all of us. You know after dinner and so that's just the type of stuff my dad likes to do. But it's neat to see how he and Jay really and it all. It isn't just Grandpa that encourages Jay's interest in geography. His love of maps has cultivated a desire to learn about the world and the people who live in

it. Maps and then me. I love maps is just you look at them and you think endless possibilities with this is just so interesting that how many things you can learn from a certain country with all these maps you know. So what were you doing upstairs and I'll say I was reading the list and I said What do you mean reading the Atlas. And he said well there's interesting stuff and that was probably his favorite thing is to put pencil to paper and draw maps about different parts of the world. I like to draw maps because it's it instills the maps into my mind. It's almost as if what you're trying get sunk in even more than what you're looking at is because you're active with the maps. I think his love of travel is probably based on his love of geography loves to draw maps. And so I think he likes to go to the places that he's drawn maps of like most Geographic bee contestants. Jay's enthusiasm for the subject started early was just starting kindergarten he

was just five and he knew all the states and their capitals just from doing a puzzle. I remember asking him you know all the different states and their capitals and no way he can get all these. I mean did he know them all. But not everyone in the family understands Jay's interest in geography. I can't write him like sit around looking at maps all day I just don't find that interesting. It's a normal family. This all sounds great. You know he's this wonderful kid who wins geography. But at the end of the day he fights with his brother and sister to his room is a mess and all the things that go along with being a 13 year old. And like with any teenager finding time to study is tough. He will procrastinate and try to cram at the eleventh hour. Getting him to get focused. Now he's been a little bit of a challenge he doesn't want to do it yet.

He's got to do it on his own terms. He's driven. He's focused. He wants to. Not necessarily wants to win. It's not a win at all costs kind of a kid but he wants to do well. It's important to him. And what do his friends think of his newfound fame. You know they say you were there all these storks everything. It's kind of fun to see the reaction like you won. Are you serious. Why no here. Jay. They came in to help stop looting and stuff. Oh if every teacher had students like Jay we'd have a lot more happy teachers in the world among those willing to lend a hand. Here's a social studies teacher who has been coordinating the St. Johns for 16 years. Jay is a very dedicated student. He's not the kind of student that needs reminding. He's self-motivated and he thinks you can see him processing and that is so interesting to see him thinking and reasoning in coming up with an answer

and that that is just fun to watch. What country is the world's fourth largest island. Madagascar. Right. She does a whole economic and political aspect of each subject and that gives me a sense of what really happened in history is one of the things in the geography bee that they'll be testing you on. It's the luck of the draw. You don't know where the question is coming up because it could be anything. It's a big world out there. And even if you study you didn't study it could be someplace you've never heard of which state borders Texas has the most amount of federal land. Oklahoma the West. Sometimes for all the study is not enough. A little spiritual guidance as well. It's just nice to know that someone's always looking down on you and always helping you along. Kind of felt that within the state geography with a couple of those lucky questions so.

Regardless of the results of the Nationals Jay's family and friends already see the benefits. I think it teaches them to be somewhat disciplined and focused and also teaches them how to win and lose gracefully. He's going to meet people from all over the country. It's the experience it's going to count. I think. It's going to be a little bit tougher than it was for the hits. I want to do my best and make it as far as I can for Jaipal Monde one of the rookies at the Nationals reaching the top is a big challenge. Jake's confident he can succeed. So is Bonnie. The fourth place finisher from last year's nationals. And. The poll of the most celebrated girl in the race. Who will win. To find out. Tune into the finals of a national geographic beat. To learn more about the National Geographic Bee visit WDW National

Geographic dot com slash geography bee