The White Falcon - 14.12.2001, Side 8

Students compete in A.T. Mahan Elementary
School National Geographic geography contest
Becca Whitehead, (left) Jacquelyn Reyes, (center) and Jessica
Sheffield carefully do some last minute studying before the beginning
of the A.T. Mahan Elementary School geography bee.
Story and photo by J02
Stephen Sheedy
Students from the A.T. Mahan
Elementary School squared off
in the National Geographic
Society’s geography bee in the
school auditorium Dec. 11.
Ten students, representing dif-
ferent classrooms in the fourth,
fifth and sixth grades had their
geography knowledge put to the
test with questions such as
“Macau, formerly an overseas
territory of Portugal, was
returned to which country in
1999?”
The students were competing
for the opportunity to advance to
the next round of the geography
bee and ultimately become one
of the finalists in the National
Geographic Society’s geography
bee in the United States.
The National Geographic
Society’s bee is a nationwide
contest that involves students
from the fourth through eight
grades in schools located in the
United States, American territo-
rial possessions and Department
of Defense Schools throughout
the world.
According to A.T. Mahan
Elementary School teacher Zora
Gaymon, the school interest in
holding a geography bee serves
two purposes.
“This is the ninth year we’ve
held the geography trivia con-
test. It was started because of the
school’s emphasis on social
studies, and we thought this was
a good way to link both social
studies and get involved in
national geography bees,” said
Gaymon.
“Also, we have always felt
that the National Geographic
Society has offered our students
a lot of books, competitions and
programs, so we believe it is a
good program.”
The questions during the con-
test were about both United
States and world geography.
According to Gaymon, each
classroom in the fourth, fifth
and sixth grades held their own
geography bees and winners
then advanced to the school’s
geography championship.
Fourth Grade Student Jessica
Sheffield became the A.T.
Mahan Elementary School
geography champion when she
correctly answered “Australia”
to the question, “Most of Wilkes
Land, a vast coastal region in
Antarctica, is claimed by a
country that once served as a
British penal colony. Name this
country.”
According to Gaymon,
Sheffield will now take a test
that will be sent to the National
Geographic Society, along with
the other winners throughout the
Department of Defense School
System. If she does well
enough, she will go to
Washington D.C. to compete in
the national geography bee.
Sheffield was proud of
becoming the school’s geogra-
phy champion and anticipates
moving on to the next round.
“I’m really nervous, but it
seems like it will be a lot of
fun,” said Sheffield.
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The White Falcon
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December 14, 2001