Harley Zemlicka Wins GeoBee at St. Lawrence School

Students from St. Lawrence School participated in the school competition of the National Geographic GeoBee on January 22. Harley Zemlicka, a fifth grade student, won first place. Carlos Fonder, a sixth grade student, took second place; Rylan Wendland, a fourth grade student, finished in third place.

The school competition is the first round in the annual National Geographic GeoBee, a geography competition designed to inspire and reward students’ curiosity about the world. not only geography, but also ancient and world civilizations, cultures, and physical features. The National Geographic Society developed the GeoBee in 1989 in response to young American’s lack of geographic knowledge.

In over three decades, more than 120 million students have learned about the world through participation in the GeoBee. School champions, including Harley Zemlicka, will take an online qualifying test. Up to 100 of the top test scorers in each state become eligible to compete in their State GeoBee. South Dakota’s state bee is scheduled for March 27 in Aberdeen.

The winners of the State GeoBees receive an all-expenses-paid trip to participate in the GeoBee national championship in Washington, D.C. to be held May 17-21. Students compete for cash prizes, scholarships and an all-expenses-paid Lindblad expedition to the Galápagos Islands aboard the National Geographic Endeavor II.

Photo: Front row:  Rylan Wendland (3rd place), Harley Zemlicka (1st place), Carlos Fonder (2nd place)

Back row:  Ivy Dreis, James Nelson, Nathan Fonder, Lawson Novy, Aiden Kelly, Macie Van Lith