TIS Student Named National Geographic GeoBee Texas State Competition Semifinalist by National Geographic Society

The contest will be held at the Pat May Center in Bedford, Texas on Friday, March 29, 2019.

The National Geographic GeoBee is an annual geography contest sponsored by the National Geographic Society.

“I’m incredibly excited. I’ve heard many great things about the state-level competition and an extremely excited to be able to go. My interest in geography all began with a map that eventually developed into really odd research projects about weird geography facts. Now it has developed into a competition,” Presley said.

“We are ecstatic to have Everett represent TIS as a semifinalist at the National Geographic GeoBee Texas State Competition,” TIS Principal Dr. Bianca Shaughnessy said. “Everett is the reigning champion of the campus Geography Bee Competition having won two years in a row!”

This is the second level of the National Geographic GeoBee competition, which is now in its 31st year. School GeoBees were held in schools with fourth- through eighth-grade students throughout the state to determine each school champion. School champions then took an online qualifying test, which they submitted to the National Geographic Society.

The National Geographic Society has invited up to 100 of the top-scoring students in each of the 50 states, the District of Columbia, Department of Defense Dependents Schools and U.S. territories to compete in the State GeoBees.

“I am interested in meeting the other kids in the competition and finding friends that share the same interests as me,” Presley said.

“I hope Everett learns how prestigious this honor is to have qualified as one of the top 100 students in the State of Texas. He will have the opportunity to meet, learn, and compete with students from all over the state. We know he will do an awesome job at the competition and we are very proud of his accomplishment,” Dr. Shaughnessy said.

This year, National Geographic increased the prize money for all State GeoBees. State champions will receive a medal, $1,000 in cash, and other prizes, as well as a trip to Washington, D.C., to represent their state in the National Championship to be held at National Geographic Society headquarters, May 19-22, 2019. Students that come in second and third place will receive cash awards of $300 and $100, respectively.

Each State Champion will advance to the National Championship and compete for cash awards and college scholarships. In 2019, the national champion will receive a $25,000 college scholarship, $1,000 in cash, a lifetime membership in the National Geographic Society, and an all-expenses-paid Lindblad expedition to the Galápagos Islands aboard the National Geographic Endeavour ll; second place will receive at $10,000 college scholarship and $1,000 in cash; third place will receive a $5,000 college scholarship and $1,000 in cash; and seven runners-up will receive $1,000 in cash each. Visit www.natgeobee.org for more information on the National Geographic GeoBee.

Follow the National competition at National Geographic Headquarters in Washington, D.C., on May 19-22 at natgeoed.org/experiences.

About Tomball Independent School District

Tomball ISD educates students to become responsible, productive citizens by providing innovative, individually rigorous, and personally valuable educational experiences. Founded in 1908, Tomball ISD now encompasses 83 square miles in northwest Harris County and southwest Montgomery County, and is located approximately 30 miles from downtown Houston. The district currently educates over 17,000 students at 20 campuses.