Samuel Feldstein, a seventh grader at Reedy Creek Middle School, won the school-level competition of the National Geographic Bee on Jan. 4. Nine students who had won class- and team-level bees participated in the school-level bee. Mitchell McRee, an eighth-grader, came in second place, and Kiarash Kavari, a sixth-grader, came in third place. The bee, sponsored by the National Geographic Society, includes seven rounds of preliminary competition for the class-level bees and a tie-breaker competition if necessary to determine team winners.

Students who participated in the RCMS Geographic Bee were Will Tredway, Kiarash Kavari, Kevin Gray, Marquise Sherrod-Cooper, Samuel Feldstein, Will Mooring, Mitchell McRee, Max Kuhns and Austin Matthews.

The kickoff for this year’s bee was the week of Nov. 13, with thousands of schools around the United States and in the five U.S. territories participating. The school winners, including Samuel, will take a written test to qualify to compete in the state bees, which will be held April 4. Reedy Creek Middle School has had a student qualify and participate in the state Bee since the school was established five years ago.

The National Geographic Society will provide an all-expense-paid trip to Washington, D.C., for state champions and their teacher-escorts to participate in the National Geographic Bee National Championship on May 20-21. The first-place national winner will receive a $25,000 college scholarship. Alex Trebek, host of “Jeopardy!” will moderate the national finals May 21.

The National Geographic Society developed the National Geographic Bee in response to a growing concern about the lack of geographic knowledge among young people in the United States.