Students qualify for Montana geo bee

Eight students who know their place in the world qualified to compete at the Montana National Geographic Bee on Friday at the Museum of the Rockies in Bozeman.

Local qualifiers include: Columbia Falls Junior High sixth-grader James Friskie; Eureka Middle School eighth-grader Rowan Kenney; Kalispell Middle School seventh-grader Olivia Lacasse; St. Matthew’s Catholic School seventh-grader Michael Manning; Olney-Bissell School seventh-grader Camas Poteet; Flathead Home Educators Association fifth-grader Abigail Rye; Stillwater Christian School sixth-grader Dean Sheldon; and Fair-Mont-Egan School seventh-grader Addie Shepard.

They are among more than 100 students representing grades fourth through eighth who advanced to state by winning school-level geography bees and taking written geography tests.

The state champion will receive a trip to Washington, D.C. to compete at the national competition May 20-23.

For more information on the National Geographic Bee visit https://www.nationalgeographic.org/bee.