Ellsworth family member to compete in state geography bee

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Joshua G. Moshier
  • Black Hills Bandit staff
ELLSWORTH AIR FORCE BASE, S.D. --  An Ellsworth family member will represent Douglas Middle School at the South Dakota level of the National Geographic Bee today at the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology.

Andrew Grise, 13, qualified for the event by winning his school’s competition.

“This is a very competitive event,” said Ms. Calene Babcock, DMS social studies teacher and geography bee assistant. “Adults wouldn’t even know (the answers to) a lot of the questions that are asked.”

While many grown men and women in this country would have a tough time naming all 50 state capitals, Grise won the Douglas contest by correctly answering the question: Water that runs off the east side of the Carpathian Mountain Range erodes the soil of which country?

The answer: Romania.

“I don’t know how; I just ended up being good at geography,” Grise said. In fact, he said social studies is his favorite subject.

“I like to travel, so that might help,” Grise said. “The thing I like about geography is everything pretty much stays the same.”

In preparation for today’s event, Grise said he’s spent a few minutes every day studying the globe in his bedroom. He said he’s confident with his knowledge of the United States and has been focusing on Africa and the Middle East.

His goal for the event is fairly simple.

“I just hope I can do my best and get as many right as possible,” he said.

“I think he has a great chance,” Ms. Babcock said. “He’s a bright, intelligent student, and he’s got a good sense of the world. He’s very smart.”

Should Grise win the competition between approximately 100 students in grades four through eight, he’ll compete in the national competition May 23 and 24 in Washington, D.C. The final round of the national event will be aired on the National Geographic Channel May 24.