The National Geographic GeoBee was an annual geography contest sponsored by the National Geographic Society. The bee, held annually from 1989 to 2019, was open to students in the fourth through eighth grades in participating schools from the United States.
The National Geographic World Championship is a biennial, two-day-long international geography competition typically held in late July or early August. The Championship was first held in 1993, and is sponsored by the National Geographic Society. Teams of three students plus one alternate are selected from among those who finished highest in their respective countries' national competitions. On the first day of competition, these teams take a written test on which all members confer and work together, then take part in a team geography skills-testing activity, such as using a map to find specified locations in unfamiliar surroundings. The scores from these two events are tallied, and the top three teams advance to the final round on the second day. The final round consists of questions primarily in the style of the National Geographic Bee, as a moderator reads questions to one team or one individual at a time. These questions may also involve the use of visual aids such as maps or photographs. Members of the top three teams receive bronze, silver, or gold medals for finishing third, second, or first, respectively.
The 19th National Geographic Bee was held in Washington, D.C., on May 23, 2007, sponsored by the National Geographic Society.
The 18th National Geographic Bee was held in Washington, D.C., on May 24, 2006, sponsored by the National Geographic Society. The final competition was moderated by Jeopardy! host Alex Trebek. The winner was Bonny Jain of Moline, Illinois, who won a $25,000 college scholarship and lifetime membership in the National Geographic Society. The 2nd-place winner, Neeraj Sirdeshmukh of Nashua, New Hampshire, won a $15,000 scholarship. The 3rd-place winner, Yeshwanth Kandimalla of Marietta, Georgia, won a $10,000 scholarship.
The 17th National Geographic Bee was held in Washington, D.C., on May 25, 2005, sponsored by the National Geographic Society. The final competition was moderated by Jeopardy! host Alex Trebek. The winner was Nathan Cornelius, a homeschooled student from Cottonwood, Minnesota, who won a $25,000 college scholarship and lifetime membership in the National Geographic Society. The 2nd-place winner, Karan Takhar of the Gordon School in East Providence, Rhode Island, won a $15,000 scholarship. The 3rd-place winner, Samuel Brandt of Roosevelt Middle School in Eugene, Oregon, won a $10,000 scholarship.
The 16th National Geographic Bee was held in Washington, D.C., on May 26, 2004, sponsored by the National Geographic Society and ING. The final competition was moderated by Jeopardy! host Alex Trebek. The winner was Andrew Wojtanik of Kansas, who won a $25,000 college scholarship, lifetime membership in the National Geographic Society, and a trip to a Busch Gardens/Sea World Adventure Camp. The 2nd-place winner, Matthew Wells of Montana, won a $15,000 scholarship. The 3rd-place winner, Eric Liaw of Hawaii, won a $10,000 scholarship.
The 14th National Geographic Bee was held in Washington, D.C., on May 22, 2002, sponsored by the National Geographic Society. The final competition was moderated by Jeopardy! host Alex Trebek. The winner was Calvin McCarter, a homeschooled student from Jenison, Michigan, who won a $25,000 college scholarship and lifetime membership in the National Geographic Society. As of 2019, McCarter is the only 5th grader to have won the competition. The 2nd-place winner, Matthew Russell of Bradford, Pennsylvania, won a $15,000 scholarship. The 3rd-place winner, Erik Miller of Kent, Washington, won a $10,000 scholarship.
The 13th National Geographic Bee was held in Washington, D.C., on May 23, 2001, sponsored by the National Geographic Society. The final competition was moderated by Jeopardy! host Alex Trebek. The winner was Kyle Haddad-Fonda of Shoreline, Washington, who won a $25,000 college scholarship and lifetime membership in the National Geographic Society. The 2nd-place winner, Nick Jachowski of Makawao, Hawaii, won a $15,000 scholarship. The 3rd-place winner, Jason Ferguson of Dallas, Texas, won a $10,000 scholarship.
The 12th National Geographic Bee was held in Washington, D.C., on May 24, 2000, sponsored by the National Geographic Society. The final competition was moderated by Jeopardy! host Alex Trebek. The winner was Felix Peng of Elisabeth Adams Middle School in Guilford, Connecticut, who won a $25,000 college scholarship. The 2nd-place winner, George Thampy, of St. Louis, Missouri, won a $15,000 scholarship. The 3rd-place winner, Jonathan Janus, of Ravenel, South Carolina, won a $10,000 scholarship.
The 11th National Geographic Bee was held in Washington, D.C., on May 26, 1999, sponsored by the National Geographic Society. The final competition was moderated by Jeopardy! host Alex Trebek. The winner was David Beihl, a homeschooled student from Saluda, South Carolina, who won a $25,000 college scholarship and an all-expense-paid trip to Australia. The 2nd-place winner, Jason Borschow of St. John's School in Condado, Puerto Rico, won a $15,000 scholarship. The 3rd-place winner, Tanveer Ali of Flint, Michigan, won a $10,000 scholarship.
The 10th National Geographic Bee was held in Washington, D.C., on May 20, 1998, sponsored by the National Geographic Society. The final competition was moderated by Jeopardy! host Alex Trebek. The winner was Petko Peev of Forest Hills Central Middle School in Grand Rapids, Michigan, who won a $25,000 college scholarship. The 2nd-place winner, J. B. Kizer of Portsmouth, Ohio, won a $15,000 scholarship. The 3rd-place winner, Evan Sparks of Westminster Academy in Memphis, Tennessee, won a $10,000 scholarship.
The 9th National Geographic Bee was held in Washington, D.C., on May 28, 1997, sponsored by the National Geographic Society. The final competition was moderated by Jeopardy! host Alex Trebek. The winner was Alex Kerchner of Kamiakin Junior High School in Kirkland, Washington, who won a $25,000 college scholarship. The 2nd-place winner, Steve Sreckovic of South Milwaukee, Wisconsin, won a $15,000 scholarship. The 3rd-place winner, Justin Mosel of Orchard, Nebraska, won a $10,000 scholarship.
The 8th National Geographic Bee was held in Washington, D.C., on May 29, 1996, sponsored by the National Geographic Society. The final competition was moderated by Jeopardy! host Alex Trebek. The winner was Seyi Fayanju of Henry B. Whitehorne Middle School in Verona, New Jersey, who won a $25,000 college scholarship. The 2nd-place winner, Ryan Bean of Augusta, Maine, won a $15,000 scholarship. The 3rd-place winner, Matthew Conway of El Reno, Oklahoma, won a $10,000 scholarship.
The 7th National Geographic Bee was held in Washington, D.C., on May 31, 1995, sponsored by the National Geographic Society. The final competition was moderated by Jeopardy! host Alex Trebek. The winner was Chris Galeczka of Bemis Junior High School in Sterling Heights, Michigan, who won a $25,000 college scholarship. The 2nd-place winner, Aaron Wenzel of Freeport Junior High School in Freeport, Illinois, won a $15,000 scholarship. The 3rd-place winner, Brendan Gordon, a homeschooled student from Moscow, Idaho, won a $10,000 scholarship.
The 6th National Geographic Bee was held in Washington, D.C., on May 25, 1994, sponsored by the National Geographic Society. The final competition was moderated by Jeopardy! host Alex Trebek. The winner was Anders Knospe of Bozeman, Montana, who won a $25,000 college scholarship. The 2nd-place winner, Michael Bebow of Metairie, Louisiana, won a $15,000 scholarship. The 3rd-place winner, Jeorse Lund of Henderson, Nevada, won a $10,000 scholarship.
The 5th National Geographic Bee was held in Washington, D.C., on May 26, 1993, sponsored by the National Geographic Society. The final competition was moderated by Jeopardy! host Alex Trebek. The winner was Noel Erinjeri of Swartz Creek, Michigan, who won a $25,000 college scholarship. The 2nd-place winner, Michael Ring of Milford, Massachusetts, won a $15,000 scholarship. The 3rd-place winner, Jeffrey Hoppes of Lancaster, Pennsylvania, won a $10,000 scholarship.
The 4th National Geographic Bee was held in Washington, D.C., on May 21, 1992, sponsored by the National Geographic Society. The final competition was moderated by Jeopardy! host Alex Trebek. The winner was Lawson Fite of Shumway Middle School in Vancouver, Washington, who won a $25,000 college scholarship. The 2nd-place winner, Geoffrey Hatchard of Cresco, Pennsylvania, won a $15,000 scholarship. The 3rd-place winner, Michael Sherback of North Easton, Massachusetts, won a $10,000 scholarship.
The 3rd National Geographic Bee was held in Washington, D.C., on May 23, 1991, sponsored by the National Geographic Society. The final competition was moderated by Jeopardy! host Alex Trebek. The winner was David Stillman of Craigmont, Idaho, who won a $25,000 college scholarship. The 2nd-place winner, Carlos De La Fuente of Chandler, Arizona, won a $15,000 scholarship. The 3rd-place winner, Eliot Brenner of Richmond, Virginia, won a $10,000 scholarship.
The 2nd National Geographic Bee was held in Washington, D.C., on May 24, 1990, sponsored by the National Geographic Society. The final competition was moderated by Jeopardy! host Alex Trebek. The winner was Susannah Batko-Yovino of the Washington-Jefferson School in Altoona, Pennsylvania, who won a $25,000 college scholarship. The 2nd-place winner, Tim Forest of C.J. Hooker Middle School in Goshen, New York, won a $15,000 scholarship. The 3rd-place winner, Martin Hohner of Luther Burbank School in Chicago, Illinois, won a $10,000 scholarship.
The 1st National Geographic Bee was held in Washington, D.C., on May 19, 1989, sponsored by the National Geographic Society. The final competition was moderated by Jeopardy! host Alex Trebek. The winner was Jack Staddon of Great Bend Seventh-day Adventist Elementary School in Great Bend, Kansas, who won a $25,000 college scholarship. The 2nd-place winner, Michael Shannon of Reading, Massachusetts, won a $15,000 scholarship. The 3rd-place winner, Kieu Luu of Riverdale, Maryland, won a $10,000 scholarship.
