St. Francis Academy

Harsh Patel, an eight grade student at St. Francis Academy, Union City, is a semifinalist in the 2010 New Jersey Geographic Bee, sponsored by Google and Plum Creek. The Bee will be held at Rowan University in Glassboro on April 9, 2010

Read the rest for the press release ….

TOP GEOGRAPHY STUDENTS TO TEST SKILLS AT STATE GEOGRAPHIC BEES ON APRIL 9

WASHINGTON (March 15, 2010)—On Friday, April 9, young geography whizzes across the United States and U.S. territories will participate in state-level Geographic Bees, competing for a spot in the national competition in Washington, D.C., in May. The Bee is organized by the National Geographic Society. This year’s Bee is sponsored by Google Inc.; at the state level, the Bee is also being sponsored by Plum Creek.

Up to 100 fourth- to eighth-graders in each of the 50 states, District of Columbia, U.S. territories and Department of Defense Dependents Schools have qualified for the state Bees. Each state winner will receive $100, the “National Geographic Collegiate Atlas of the World,” and an all-expenses-paid trip to Washington, D.C., for the national finals May 25-26 and the chance to be crowned National Geographic Bee champion.

First prize in the national competition is a $25,000 college scholarship and lifetime membership in the National Geographic Society. Second- and third-place finishers receive $15,000 and $10,000 college scholarships, respectively. Additionally, the national winner will travel (along with one parent or guardian), all expenses paid, to the Galápagos Islands to experience geography firsthand through up-close encounters with the wildlife and landscape of the islands. Travel for the Galápagos trip is provided by Lindblad Expeditions and the National Geographic Society.

Full Press Release HERE.