Buda Elementary buzzes in National Geographic Bee

by JAYNE BAKER

Top Buda Elementary campus winners in the 22nd Annual National Geographic Bee include Ari Allison (left), Caleb Cullen and Jesse Bryan. Celebrating the activity are Principal Lauri Schroeder (left) and reading teacher Jayne Baker. (Courtesy photo)

Buda Elementary fifth grader Caleb Cullen knows that after the United States and France, Japan ranks as the world’s third-largest nuclear energy producing country. This knowledge made him school champion in this month’s 22nd Annual National Geographic Bee. Caleb now has a chance to win a $25,000 college scholarship in future competition.

Jesse Bryan and Ari Allison finished second and third place on campus, respectively.

The school-level bee, in which students answered oral questions on geography, featured ten winners from fourth and fifth grade classes. Fourth grade class winners included Aaron Barlow, Lia Griggs, Drew Cooper, Lizzie Salmeron and Allison. Fifth grade class winners included Bradley Scharmann, Nolan Kubsch, Cullen, Taylor Lundy and Bryan.

Principal Lauri Schroeder served as moderator for the bee, while reading teacher Jayne Baker acted as judge.

Thousands of schools in the United States and its five territories are participating in this year’s contest. School champs, including Cullen, will now take a written test. Up to 100 of the top scorers in each state will be eligible to compete in their state bee this April. Anyone can brush up on geography with GeoBee Challenge, an online quiz at www.nationalgeographic.com/geobee, which poses ten new questions a day from previous contests.

The National Geographic Society was founded in 1888 to “increase and diffuse geographic knowledge.” It works to inspire people to care about our planet. Buda Elementary School joins the National Geographic Society in promoting geography awareness as a way to world peace.