Decorah 8th grader advances in Geography Bee

Michael Foster, an 8th grade student at Decorah Middle School, has won the school-level competition of the National Geographic Bee and a chance at a $25,000 college scholarship.

The school-level bee, at which students answered oral questions on geography, was the first round in the 2nd annual National Geographic Bee. This year's bee is sponsored by Google.

Foster won a competition among the top ten students at Decorah Middle School. The other nine participants were 5th grader Josh Nierengarten, 6th grader Augusta Casterton, 7th graders Ashley Darling, Chloe Gossling, Tim Winter, Naomi Davidson, and Ben Dugger and 8th graders Steven Holkesvik, Simon Cropp and Colin Nimrod. After the single elimination rounds, Michael Foster and Tim Winter went head to head for first and second place. After seven questions, Michael was named school champion.

Foster will now take a written test to determine whether he will be eligible to compete in the state bee on April 1st.

The state champion will qualify for the National Championships of the Geographic Bee May 24th and 25th. The first-place national winner will receive a $25,000 scholarship and a trip to the Galapagos Islands, courtesy of Lindblad Expeditions and National Geographic.