What's the Buzz? The Geography Bee, of Course!

NORTH CANAAN — Every year for almost a quarter century, North Canaan Elementary School has played host to a bee infestation. Relegated to the cafeteria, the Geography Bee (scientific name: earthius-knowledgus) buzzes with excitement, ravaging the student body and unleashing the harsh sting of defeat to virtually every sixth-, seventh- and eighth-grader within reach.

On Dec. 23, 24 students went up against the bee and only one emerged victorious. For Evan Patrick, North Canaan Geography Bee champion, victory was as sweet as honey.

"I didn’t really do much to prepare," said Evan, an eighth-grader participating in his third such bee, as he relished his win.

No amount of studying can prepare a combatant for the onslaught of the Geography Bee. For those who scoff at the bee’s ferocity, answer this question: The Danube River flows for 1,800 miles before emptying into what sea?

The answer, of course, is the Black Sea, a conclusion this reporter arrived at only after consulting a map. (And I have three years of college under my belt.)

Evan faced that question, as well as two others, in a three-round tiebreaker to secure his spot in the finals.

"It was nerve wracking," he said. "I was really nervous."

The bee starts innocently enough, with a lighthearted practice round. Principal Rosemary Keilty read the first question aloud:

What is the name for a large piece of ice that has broken off from a snow-formed glacier or ice shelf, floating in open water?

Most students revealed a written response of "iceberg," with one smart-alecky "ice cube" garnering chuckles from the audience. The bee, however, would have the last laugh.

Soon the questions became more difficult. With two incorrect answers as grounds for elimination, the bee quickly began taking victims.

Symptoms resulting from a Geography Bee sting include: sweaty palms, increased heart rate, a sudden loss of happiness, confusion and the dreaded "geographer’s elbow" (a byproduct of writing answers too fast). While epipens are not necessary, a pen and a paper are.

On occasion, things can get ugly. Eighth-grader Ryan Long was rescued from "bee-limination" by virtue of a scribbled (but correct) answer of "Rocky Mountains" that was accepted after some controversy.

"I got the answer right," Ryan said, after the match. "It was just hard to read. I was afraid I might be out, but they let me stay."

By the third round, only eight students remained. After the sixth round, two were still standing: Evan and Ryan, who made the most of his second-chance opportunity.

Ultimately, Ryan became the bee’s final victim. The winning question? Active, dormant and extinct describe what physical feature? With a correct answer of "volcano," Evan sealed a well-earned victory. For Evan, denial isn’t just a river in Africa, though something tells me he already knew that. [Editor’s Note: Apparently our reporter means Da Nile River, not Denial River.]

"I can’t believe I won," Evan said, stunned. "I never finished this high before!"

Every year, the bee buzzes in and out of North Canaan Elementary School in the course of an hour, leaving puzzled children in its wake.

Some contend the only true academic bee is that of the spelling variety. While the spelling bee has been the star of feature films, the geography bee buzzes quietly along. Its winner goes to the national finals in Washington, D.C. — but not Hollywood.

Anyone can spell a word but, as the 24 students who took part at North Canaan will attest, there is no trivial pursuit greater than a good old-fashioned Geography Bee.