Seventh-grader Jefferson Freeman of Orcas Island School District is participating in the 2019 National Geographic GeoBee Washington state competition on March 29.

Highline College in Des Moines, Washington is hosting the second level of two National Geographic student contests – the GeoBee Washington competition and the Washington GeoChallenge regional competition. Students in both challences are competing for prizes and a chance to advance to the national events, which will both be held at National Geographic Society headquarters in Washington, D.C., May 19-22.

In its 31st year, the GeoBee is an academic competition for grades four through eight that challenges student knowledge of geography, cultures, physical features, history and Earth science. The journey to the state competition starts at the school level, with nearly 10,000 schools across the United States conducting a GeoBee every year and naming a school champion. The school champion then takes a proctored qualifying test, and the top 100 ranked students in each state qualify to represent their school at the state competition.

A total of 54 GeoBee state champions will receive a medal, a $1,000 cash prize and a trip to the national competition. Students who come in second and third place in the state will receive cash awards of $300 and $100, respectively.

The 2019 National GeoBee Champion will receive a $25,000 college scholarship, a lifetime membership to the National Geographic Society and an all-expense-paid Lindblad Expedition to the Galápagos Islands aboard the National Geographic Endeavour ll; the second-place winner in the national championship will receive a $10,000 college scholarship; and the student who places third will receive a $5,000 college scholarship. The top 10 scoring students will each receive $1,000 in cash.