WKU News

Evan Winkler of Lexington, an eighth-grader at Morton Middle School, took top honors at the 2017 Kentucky Geographic Bee on Friday (March 31) at WKU’s Knicely Conference Center in Bowling Green. Winkler was the third-place finisher in the 2016 Bee.

Second place went to Pavan Kanmadikar of Meyzeek Middle School in Louisville. Third place went to Carson King of St. James Catholic Regional School in Elizabethtown.

Eighty-eight champions from around the state competed and dazzled the audience with their geographic knowledge. The competition was hosted by WKU’s Department of Geography and Geology whose faculty, staff and student volunteers judged and moderated the competition.

The state winner received $100 and an all-expenses-paid trip to Washington, D.C., to represent Kentucky in the national finals of the Bee at National Geographic Society headquarters May 14-17.  The National Geographic Bee is organized by the National Geographic Society.

Up to 100 fourth- to eighth-graders in each of the 50 states, the District of Columbia, Atlantic and Pacific territories, and Department of Defense Dependents Schools participated in state-level Bee on March 31.

First prize in the national competition is a $50,000 college scholarship and lifetime membership in the National Geographic Society. Second- and third-place finishers receive $25,000 and $10,000 college scholarships, respectively. For additional information on the National Geographic Bee, visit www.nationalgeographic.com/geobee.

National Geographic Channel will air the final round of the 2017 National Geographic Bee, moderated by humorist and journalist Mo Rocca, at 7 p.m. CT May 19. Nat Geo WILD will air the final at 8 p.m. CT May 19.

Contact: Amy Nemon, (270) 745-3082