National Geographic GeoBee semifinalist Ariela Rittner with her parents Christian and Stephanie Rittner. Courtesy photo
National Geographic GeoBee News:
Pinon Elementary School 5th grade student Ariela Rittner has been notified by the National Geographic Society that she is one of the semifinalists eligible to compete in the 2019 National Geographic GeoBee New Mexico State Competition. The contest is Friday, March 29 at NDI in Albuquerque.
Ariela Rittner is the daughter of Christian and Stephanie Rittner.
This is the second level of the National Geographic GeoBee competition, which is now in its 31st year. School GeoBees were held in schools with fourth- through eighth-grade students throughout the state to determine each school champion. School champions then took an online qualifying test, which they submitted to the National Geographic Society.
The National Geographic Society has invited up to 100 of the top-scoring students in each of the 50 states, the District of Columbia, Department of Defense Dependents Schools and U.S. territories to compete in the State GeoBees.
This year, National Geographic increased the prize money for all State GeoBees. State champions will receive a medal, $1,000 in cash, and other prizes, as well as a trip to Washington, D.C., to represent their state in the National Championship May 19-22 at National Geographic Society headquarters.
Students who come in second and third place will receive cash awards of $300 and $100, respectively. Each State Champion will advance to the National Championship and compete for cash awards and college scholarships. In 2019, the national champion will receive a $25,000 college scholarship, $1,000 in cash, a lifetime membership in the National Geographic Society, and an all-expenses-paid Lindblad expedition to the Galápagos Islands aboard the National Geographic Endeavour ll; second place will receive at $10,000 college scholarship and $1,000 in cash; third place will receive a $5,000 college scholarship and $1,000 in cash; and seven runners-up will receive $1,000 in cash each.
Visit www.natgeobee.org for more information on the National Geographic GeoBee. Follow the National competition May 19-22 at National Geographic Headquarters in Washington, D.C., at natgeoed.org/experiences.
