The Geo Bee

This afternoon was the much anticipated Geo Bee. I respect National Geographic's desire to promote the benefits of geography, but it was a bloodbath. One by one they fell, to questions like: Which river flows along the border between Texas and Oklahoma? Which US State first granted women the right to vote? Which European capital city is home to Gorke Park? Two students prevailed beyond the second round, miraculously pulling several correct answers out of the depths of their pristine minds. In the meantime, the entire 4th and 5th grades squirmed on the cafeteria benches (our auditorium was deemed unusable by the fire warden a month ago) and goofed off because they couldn't hear the questions or answers. I hardly heard the questions and answers because I was so busy threatening David and James with recess detention if they wouldn't stop talking. In the end (which was not too long, thank God, after the beginning), Ashley Butt won the Bee conclusively, placing one more feather in her cap to provide lifelong defense against her rather unfortunate last name.

The staff exchanged looks of shame as we shuffled up the stairs for dismissal. What had we done? But then I thought about Ashley and Tim, the finalists, beaming. And the fact that for thirty brief minutes our students were reminded that geography is important. You must be able to name your world if it is to be real, if it is to be your home. The Geo Bee was painful, but brief, and perhaps worth it in the end.

Now, how to foster a love for this stuff.