Yu wins MBA Geographic Bee

Faye Yu, an 8th grade student at Marianas Baptist Academy, won the school-level competition of the National Geographic Bee on Friday and a chance to win a $25,000 college scholarship.

The school-level Bee, at which students answered oral question on geography, was the first round in the 13th annual National Geographic Bee.

Faye prevailed over fellow MBA semi-finalists Roselle Calvo, John Lee, James Castro, Jomer Savellano, Michael Williams, and finalist Jung Mun Chung.

The kick-off for this year’s Bee was the week of Nov. 27, with thousands of schools around the United States and in the five U.S. territories participating. The school winners, including Faye, will now take a written test; up to 100 of the top scorers in each state and territory will be eligible to compete in their state Bee April 6.

The National Geographic Society will provide an all expense paid trip to Washington, D.C. for state champions and their teacher escorts to participate in the National Geographic Bee national championship on May 22 and 23. The first place national winner will receive a $25,000 college scholarship.

“Jeopardy!” host Alex Trebek will moderate the national finals on May 23. The program will be aired on the new National Geographic Channel, and afterwards on PBS stations produced by Maryland Public television. Check local listings for dates and times.

Anyone can brush up on geography with GeoBee Challenge, an online geography quiz at www.nationalgeographic.com/geobee, which poses five new questions a day from previous National Geographic Bees. Questions range from the relatively simple to a stumper such as “Name the ocean current that makes it possible for coral to form as far north as the Bermuda Islands.”

The National Geographic Society is the world’s largest nonprofit scientific and educational organization. The 112-year-old Society reflects the world through magazines, books, maps, television, and interactive media.

National Geographic magazine, the official journal of the Society, has a circulation of about 10 million and is read in every country in the world. The National Geographic Channel, a daily cable network, will launch in the United States in January 2001. Eighty million subscribers receive the channel aboard in 110 countries in 15 languages. The Society has funded more than 6,500 scientific research projects and supports an education program promoting geography literacy.