Laura Webb, a 5th grade student at Calhoun Middle School, won the school-level competition of the National Geographic Bee in January and a chance at a $25,000 college scholarship.
Laura, the daughter of Rick and Tammey Webb of Big Springs,
was one of those qualifying as one of the top 100 students in West Virginia and participated in the Geographic Bee at the Charleston Civic Center on April 9th.
Laura was notified by the National Geographic Society that she was one of the semifinalists eligible to compete in the 2010 West Virginia Geographic Bee, sponsored by Google and Plum Creek. Bees were held in schools with fourth through eighth grade students throughout the state to determine each school's Geographic Bee winner. School-level winners then took a qualifying test, which they submitted to the National Geographic Society. In each of the 50 states, as well as the District of Columbia, the Department of Defense Dependents Schools, and the U.S. territories, the National Geographic Society invited the students with the top 100 scores to compete at the state level.
Although Laura did not place, she enjoyed meeting other students and participating in the bee. She would like to thank Mr. Dan Cosgrove, Mrs. Kyre Minney and her family and friends for all of their love and support during the GeoBee.
The state winner received $100, the "National Geographic Collegiate Atlas of the World", and a trip to Washington, DC where he will represent West Virginia in the national finals at the National Geographic Society headquarters, May 25-26, 2010. The first-place winner will receive a $25,000 college scholarship and lifetime membership in the Society. The national winner will also travel (along with one parent or guardian), all expenses paid, to the Galapagos Islands. The winner will experience geography firsthand through up-close encounters with the wildlife and landscape of Galapagos. Travel for the trip is provided by Lindblad Expeditions and National Geographic.
A teacher from the school district of the national winner will receive a trip to attend the Google Geo Teacher Institute in July 2010, where he or she will get hands-on experience with Google's resources and learn about innovative instructional strategies. For additional information on the National Geographic Bee please visit www.nationalgeographic.com/geographicbee
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