CAMP HUMPHREYS -- The locale was the Humphreys American School cafeteria, but the subject stretched around the world.
Ten Humphreys American School students in grades four through eight participated in a geography bee Jan. 9, sharing their knowledge of states, countries, rivers, and gulfs. Each grade had two representatives who had won classroom competitions.
After a few intense rounds, seventh-grader Nathaniel Battle emerged as the champion, with fifth-grader Jace Patsel the runner-up.
United States Army Garrison-Humphreys Commander, Col. Joseph P. Moore, asked the questions. Each round consisted of every contestant being asked one question apiece. Two missed questions eliminated a participant.
That format stayed until only Battle and Patsel remained. For the final round, the two contestants were asked the same three questions, writing their answer on a piece of paper with clipboard.
Both students correctly answered "Gulf of Mexico" on the first question. But on the next question about which Asian nation consists of approximately 7,100 islands, Battle correctly wrote "Philippines," while Patsel answered "Indonesia."
When neither student correctly guessed Mali as the country where Timbuktu is, Battle had won the bee. Patsel displayed exemplary sportsmanship by immediately shaking Battle's hand and accentuating it with a chest bump.
Battle said mandatory study sessions at home helped him win.
"My mom made me study all day," he said. 'There was no Xbox or 360. I'm kind of glad she made me. I really didn't think I was going to win. There are a lot of smart kids here."
Patsel said maternal influence impacted him as well. "Every single day, I would be on nationalgeograpic.com and my mom made me study an atlas."
Other participants were Savannah Hoagland, Prescott Farris, Sante Devera-Waden, Lenningrad Generoso, Sydney Munoz, Naya Johnson, Aerial Rouse, and Hunter Herring.
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