Ranney Geography Bee Winners Demonstrate Their Global Skills

When fourth grader Akash Verma was posed the question: “Mexico City is located on the site of Tenochtiitlan, the island capital of what empire that was conquered by Spanish explorers in the 16th century?” he didn’t hesitate with his answer.

“The Aztec empire,” he replied.

And with that, Akash became the winner of the 2009 Ranney School Geography Bee. Akash outlasted ten other Ranney students representing the fourth and fifth grade classes in Tuesday’s school competition, earning him the right to represent Ranney at the regional contest in January. Already a world-traveler, Akash says his victory was made easier, thanks to a recent lesson on the Aztec empire in Social Studies class.

The 11 Bee participants competed for the top prize by answering a series of oral and written questions ranging from, “What is the term for a part of an ocean or sea that cuts far into the bordering landmass?” to “Which Canadian province produces more than half of the country's manufactured goods?” Fifth grader Sallie Haas was runner-up while Jerome Cohen, also a fifth grader, placed third.

Ranney School Kindergarten teacher Janine Mitreuter, who organized this year’s event, said this year’s participants scored higher in the preliminary rounds than in previous years; an impressive performance, considering the questions are geared toward middle school students from fourth through eighth grade. The 2009 National Geographic Bee is designed to encourage teachers to include geography in their classrooms, spark student interest in the subject, and increase public awareness about geography.

For additional information on all Ranney School news, please contact the Communications Department at communications@ranneyschool.org.