World > Geography > United States Geography

2008 Geography Bee

20th annual National Geographic Bee

by Liz Olson
world globe

Related Links

External Resources

A sixth-grader at Lux Middle School in Lincoln, Nebraska, Akshay Rajagopal answered every question correctly to win the two-day 20th annual Geography Bee in May 2008.

By placing first, Akshay earned a $25,000 scholarship and a lifetime membership in the National Geographic Society. Holding his oversized check, 11-year-old Rajagopal said of the questions, "Some of them were hard but others were OK. I think I was just lucky." But luck had nothing to do with knowing what South American country has the third-largest city named Cochabamba (Bolivia) and the country where Makossa is a popular type of music (Cameroon).

Akshay's parents said he has been interested in geography since the age of five, and for several months before the competition he studied geography DVDs and textbooks to help prepare for the contest. In addition to geography, Akshay enjoys collecting coins.

The National Geographic Bee was open to 55 contestants: one from each state, plus one apiece from Washington, D.C.; Pacific Territories; Puerto Rico; the Virgin Islands; and U.S. Department of Defense schools. The final round, for the top ten finalists, was moderated by Alex Trebek, host of the popular game show Jeopardy! It was broadcast live on the National Geographic Channel.

Hunter Bledsoe, 13, a student at Hewitt Trussville Middle School, Trussville, Alabama, placed second and received a $15,000 college scholarship. Third place and a $10,000 college scholarship went to William Lee, a 13-year-old student at Joyce Middle School in Woburn, Massachusetts.

Information Please® Database, © 2007 Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved.

Did you know?
The first newspaper published daily in the U.S. was the Pennsylvania Packet and General Advertiser in Philadelphia in Sept. 1784.

what’s hot

  1. Top 10 End-of-the-Year Gifts for Teachers
  2. Great Gift Ideas for Dad's First Father's Day
  3. 10 Gender-Predicting Old Wives' Tales
  4. VIEW ALL

stay connected

Sign up for our free email newsletters and receive the latest advice and information on all things parenting.

Enter your email address to sign up or manage your account.

Facebook icon Twitter icon Follow Us on Pinterest

editor’s picks

highlights

10 Ways to Deal with Temper Tantrums
Temper tantrums are an inevitable part of being parent. Read on for 10 sanity-saving tantrum tips to help calm your child when he's in the throes of emotional turmoil.

8 Printable Thank-You Cards for Your Child's Teacher
Teaching is no walk in the park! Print any of these free printable thank-you cards for teachers to salute your favorite educators for all the hard work this school year.

Explore Funbrain Jr. with Your Preschooler
Looking for fun online games, adorable stories, and cool printables for preschoolers and kindergartners? Check out the new Funbrain Jr., a fun place to learn for children ages 2 to 6.

Award-Winning Apps for Kids of All Ages
Looking for high quality apps for your toddler, preschooler, or school-age child? These 16 award-winning educational apps help kids of all ages learn a thing or two during tech time.

Summer Learning: 11 Everyday Ways to Learn Math
Summertime is a great time to teach your child how math plays a part in his everyday life. These 11 everyday ways to learn math are fun and educational, and will help him see how this subject plays into real life.