Each year, students in schools across the United States participate in the National Geographic Bee using materials prepared by the National Geographic Society. The annual Geography Bee is an academic competition that includes participants in grades five through eight who are posed questions on culture, economics, current events, politics and geography.

Twelve students from The John Cooper School participated in the school-level Bee on December 18 by placing first during elimination rounds in their history classes. Of those, eighth grader Paige Cromley was determined to be the school-level winner and seventh grader Rebecca Juranek was runner-up.

John Cooper Middle School social science teachers stand with their students who came in first place and runner-up in the school-level annual Geography Bee. Pictured from left are faculty member George Albritton, eighth grader Paige Cromley, seventh grader Rebecca Juranek and faculty member Walt Steadman.

Twelve students in grades five through eight participated in The John Cooper School campus-level Geography Bee sponsored by National Geographic.