HPA crowns geographic bee champion

Gregory Parks, an eighth-grade student at Hawaii Preparatory Academy, won the school-level competition of the National Geographic Bee and a chance at a $50,000 college scholarship.

Ethaniel Wilson, also an eighth-grader, placed second in the Jan. 19 contest, where students answered oral questions about geography.

This was the first round in the 29th annual National Geographic Bee. Thousands of schools nationwide and in the five U.S. territories are participating in the 2017 competition. The school champions, including Parks, will take a qualifying test; up to 100 of the top scorers on that test in each state then will be eligible to compete March 31 in the their state bee.

The National Geographic Society will provide an all-expenses paid trip to Washington, D.C., for state winners to participate in the national championship rounds May 15-17.

The first-place national champion will receive a $50,000 college scholarship, a lifetime membership in the society and a trip to the Galapagos Islands.

The national finals will air on television May 19 on the National Geographic Channel and Nat Geo WILD, and later on public television stations.

Everyone can test their geography knowledge by downloading the “National Geographic GeoBee Challenge” app, available on the App Store for iPhone, iPod touch and iPad, from the Android Market or for NOOK Color.

National Geographic Society is a global nonprofit membership organization driven by a belief in the power of science, exploration and storytelling to change the world. The society funds hundreds of research and conservation projects around the globe each year. For more information, visit www.nationalgeographic.org.