Geographic Bee winner holding frame

Aberdeen, South Dakota (March 29, 2019)—Sean Hodges, a seventh grader from Edison Middle School in Sioux Falls, took top honors at the 2019 South Dakota National Geographic Bee held today at Northern State University in Aberdeen. The state champion received $1,000, the National Geographic Almanac, and a trip to Washington, D.C., to represent South Dakota in the National Geographic Bee Championship to be held at National Geographic Society headquarters, May 19-22, 2019.

Aleksandros Ramirez, a sixth grader from Patrick Henry Middle School in Sioux Falls, won second place and $300, and Kade Conner, a seventh grader from McIntosh School in McIntosh, won third place and $100.

In its 31st year, the National Geographic GeoBee (formerly the National Geographic Bee) is an academic competition for grades four through eight that challenges student knowledge of geography, cultures, physical features, history and earth science. A total of 2,529,020 students in nearly 10,000 schools across the United States, District of Columbia, U.S. Atlantic and Pacific territories and Department of Defense Dependents Schools competed in the GeoBee this year. After winning their School GeoBee, students took an online qualifying test and the top-100-ranked students in each state advanced to the state competition. A total of 54 GeoBee State Champions receive a medal, a $1,000 cash prize and a trip to the National Geographic GeoBee Championship in May.

The National Geographic GeoBee Champion will receive a $25,000 college scholarship, a lifetime membership in the National Geographic Society and an all-expenses-paid Lindblad expedition to the Galápagos Islands aboard the National Geographic Endeavour ll; the second-place winner will receive a $10,000 college scholarship; and the student placing third will receive a $5,000 college scholarship. The top-10-scoring students will each receive $1,000 in cash.

Follow the national competition at natgeoed.org/experiences.

ABOUT THE GEOBEE

Developed by the National Geographic Society in 1988 to promote geographic knowledge among young people in the United States, the National Geographic GeoBee is an academic competition for public schools, private schools, and homeschools in the United States and its territories, as well as the Department of Defense Dependents Schools (DoDDS). Students in grades 4-8 from nearly 10,000 schools participate annually. Over more than three decades, 120 million students have learned about the world through participation in the GeoBee. More information about the GeoBee is available at NatGeoBee.org.

ABOUT THE NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC SOCIETY

The National Geographic Society is an impact-driven global nonprofit organization based in Washington, D.C. Since 1888, National Geographic has been pushing the boundaries of exploration, investing in bold people and transformative ideas to increase understanding of our world and generate solutions for a healthy, more sustainable future for generations to come. Our ultimate vision: a planet in balance. To learn more about the Society and its programs, visit www.nationalgeographic.org.

ABOUT NORTHERN STATE UNIVERSITY 

Northern State University is a regional university that offers outstanding academics and exceptional extracurricular activities at an affordable price on a safe, welcoming campus. Northern State recently announced its Educational Impact Campaign, with a goal of raising $55 million for a new South Dakota School for the Blind and Visually Impaired, new athletic and recreation fields, and an on-campus regional sports complex. Once the campaign is complete, NSU will be the recipient of more than $100 million in privately funded building projects and scholarships within a decade. To learn more, visit NSU Admissions

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