CM students know their geo: Sam Binau again geography bee school champion

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ClLARKSVILLE — Clinton-Massie eighth-grader Sam Binau has once again earned the title of School Champion and Semifinalist and will move forward to compete in the 2017 Ohio National Geographic State Bee.

The preliminary round of the competition took place in middle school social studies classrooms as all middle school students competed to determine who would advance to the top 10 finalist positions and compete for the title of School Champion.

The second level of the National Geographic Bee competition, now in its 29th year, is being held throughout the state where fourth- through eighth-grade students compete to earn the title of School Champion. School champions will then compete by taking an online test to in order qualify for next round of competition.

This year’s school finalists, who went on to compete for the title of School Champion, included sixth-graders Connor Stulz and Will Tidwell, seventh-graders Sarah Norton and Nathaniel Patrick, and eighth-graders Sam Binau, Barek Bennett, Markey Brothers, Clay Carroll, Christian Rice, and Will Sorice.

Barek Bennett earned second-place honors, Connor Stultz earned third-place honors and, for the second year in a row, Sam Binau earned the title of School Champion.

Working behind the scenes to organize and facilitate the bee were social study and history teachers Mike Adams, Jim Wagner, and Betsy Wellman along with Gifted Intervention Specialist Jill Binau. The event was moderated by Curt Bradshaw, Coordinator of Gifted Services with the Southern Ohio Educational Service Center.

“We were quite impressed with the students’ knowledge of the world,” said Bradshaw. “Participating in the Bee gives students an opportunity to develop a deeper appreciation for geography and the world around them, because, as the back of the finalist’s tee-shirts reads, ‘Without geography, you’re nowhere!’

Thousands of schools throughout the United States and in the five U.S. participated in the 2017 National Geographic Bee. School champions, including Sam Binau, will now take the online qualifying test to determine which of the top scorers on that test in each state will then be eligible to compete in their state Bee on March 31, 2017.

Winners of the state Bee competitions will receive an all-expense paid trip to Washington, D.C., where they will compete in the national championship rounds scheduled for May 15-17.

The first place national champion will receive a $50,000 college scholarship, a lifetime membership in the National Geographic Society, including a subscription to the National Geographic magazine, and a National Geographic Expeditions trip to the Galapagos Islands.

The national finals will air on the National Geographic Channel and Nat Geo WILD stations.

For additional information regarding the National Geographic Bee and National Geographic, visit www.natgeobee.org and www.nationalgeographic.org.

Information for this article was provided by Diana Miller, who coordinates communications for several area schools.

From left are: front, Sarah Norton, Will Tidwell, School Champion Sam Binau, Runner-Up Barek Bennett, Markey Brothers, and Mrs. Betsy Wellman; back, Mr. Jim Wagner, Nathaniel Patrick, Will Sorice, Connor Stulz, Christian Rice, and Mr. Mike Adams. Not pictured is Clay Carroll.
http://aimmedianetwork.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/22/2017/01/web1_GeoBee-2016-2017-Photo-1.jpgFrom left are: front, Sarah Norton, Will Tidwell, School Champion Sam Binau, Runner-Up Barek Bennett, Markey Brothers, and Mrs. Betsy Wellman; back, Mr. Jim Wagner, Nathaniel Patrick, Will Sorice, Connor Stulz, Christian Rice, and Mr. Mike Adams. Not pictured is Clay Carroll. Courtesy photo
Sam Binau again geography bee school champion

By Diana Miller

For the News Journal

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