STURBRIDGE – Fourth, 5th and 6th grade students spill into the cafeteria excited to face the small stage where 12 students sit – nervously – in folding chairs with nametags at their feet.
Using a tone of voice trademarked by pro wrestling announcers Assistant Principal Jack Canavan introduces the crowd to competitors in Burgess Elementary School’s 2008-2009 Geography Bee.
One 6th grader’s alias, intimidating as it is, may not guarantee a first place finish.
In announcing Dom Boutiette’s name Canavan stretches it further than a Greenland coastline on the Mercator Projection.
“Dommm – the Dominator – Bouuutiettteee,” Canavan says.
Cue wild cheers.
Hand lettered signs with the slogans: “C’mon Conor” “Go Go Christian” and “Logan kick butt” wave from side to side. Students in white t-shirts bearing similar encouragement yell and shout.
This bee is held annually and pits the winners of individual classroom competitions against each other. It’s an opportunity for students to get excited about geography and show their knowledge, Canavan said during the set-up.
But now he calls for quiet. Ground rules must be established. Fabulous prizes require announcement.
Rules first: There will be two rounds, a final and a championship round. Elimination comes after two incorrect answers. When three students remain the second round begins and all are given a clean slate. The three then face off with the same elimination rules of the final round. Later, the first place winner will take a qualifying test. If they pass its off to Clark University and the statewide bee.
Victory at Clark secures an all expenses paid trip to Washington D.C. for the national bee.
Now prizes: Canavan tells the crowd of 4th, 5th and 6th graders what they can win at the national level. There will be a $5,000 college scholarship (wild cheers follow); a $500 cash prize (more frenzied shouts); and a chance to participate in the national bee – hosted by Alex Trebek! (mild confusion ensues).
Let the bee begin.
Paper copies of the lower 48 are passed to each competitor. The states are outlined but not named. However, Plant Hardiness Zones – as determined by the United States Department of Agriculture – are defined.
This set-up confounds the first two contestants. Questions are not fully understood and state names are provided instead of zone numbers.
With Grace Foulis, who sits in the fourth seat, comprehension kicks in.
“Nearly all of Ohio lies in what zone?” Canavan asks.
A moment passes as she consults the map.
“Six,” Gracie says.
“Correct.”
Gracie relaxes and smiles.
The first round of questions ends and students reach down to grab whiteboards and erasable markers. A wrong answer here spells elimination for some.
Canavan asks, “Myrtle Beach is a resort town in what state?”
There is a flurry of scribbling. Markers are put down. Canavan directs the students to reveal their answers. A few are correct. Others name neighboring states.
One answers New Jersey. No word if that was wishful thinking or if the New Jersey Division of Travel and Tourism has an elementary school student on the payroll.
There are four left. The Dominator, unfortunately, is dominating somewhere offstage.
The next question asks; in what state did Hurricane Ike make landfall? Of the four two answer correctly triggering a face-off between Mason Wildgrube and Frank Tremblay for a third place finish, which Wildbruge earns for knowing that Londonderry is in Ireland.
Two remain. Conor O’Brien and Jason Izzio. It doesn’t take long, a few questions, and Conor wins first place and advances his chance to earn $5,500, a trip to Washington D.C. and a rendezvous with Alex Trebek.
A gold medal is placed on Conor’s neck. He is center stage in front of cheering peers. He raises both arms to the ceiling as the school’s 2008-2009 Geography Bee champion should.
For this moment geography is Conor’s world.