Shaker Heights Middle School eighth-grader Isabel Levin competed at the state level of the National Geographic Bee after winning the top spot in the Middle School Geography Bee.
Her score on a 60-point qualifying test was the sixth highest in the state this year. Only school winners with scores in the top 100 advance to the state competition in Columbus. Isabel answered seven out of eight questions correctly, which placed her in a tie for 14th at the bee.
7th grader Kavi Warrier finished second in the Middle School Geography Bee finals and 8th grader Ethan Gimbel finished third.
Woodbury fifth-grader Dashram Pai also qualified for the state bee. Dashram was the winner of the Woodbury Geography Bee, where he successfully answered this question: “Originally inhabited by Indians and Inuit, Canada is made up of provinces and territories. How many provinces does Canada have?” The correct answer is 10.
Aziza Reddy came in second place, while Lily Camp, David Spielman, and Griffin Walsh tied for third in the school competition.
Sponsored by the National Geographic Society, the competitions are designed to encourage teachers to include geography in their classrooms, spark interest in the subject, and increase public awareness about geography.
Faculty member Mike Sears coordinates the competition at the Middle School, and faculty member Joseph Romano coordinates the competition at Woodbury.