William Callewaert, an eighth grade student at The Grosse Pointe Academy, won the school-level competition of the National Geographic Bee and a chance at a $25,000 college scholarship. Sixth grader Allison Mobley was the runner-up. The school-level Bee, at which students answered oral questions on geography, was the first round in the 20th annual National Geographic Bee. The Bee is sponsored by the National Geographic Society.

Will credits his fourth and fifth grade teacher, Bob Lapadot, for his success in this year’s bee. As part of his social studies curriculum, Mr. Lapadot would hand out blank maps – what the students referred to as “Lap’s maps” – to the students to fill in. Runner-up Allison Mobley also had Mr. Lapadot as a teacher for her fourth and fifth grade years.

Thousands of schools around the United States and in the five U.S. territories participate each year in the National Geographic Bee. Academy Middle School students qualified for the Bee by taking a written test, then ten finalists competed in the final round on December 21 by answering oral questions. Will and Allison went on to the championship round.

The school winners, including Will, will take another written test; up to 100 of the top scorers in each state will be eligible to compete in their state Bee on March 31, 2008.

The National Geographic Society will provide an all-expenses-paid trip to Washington, D.C., for state champions and teacher-escorts to participate in the National Geographic Bee national championship in May.

Anyone can brush up on geography with GeoBee Challenge, an online geography quiz at www.nationalgeographic.com/geobee, which poses five new questions a day from previous National Geographic Bees.