For Immediate Release

Contact: Barbara K. Laskin or Doug Stone
April 1, 2005
(651) 696-6203

Cottonwood Student Wins 2005 MN State Geographic Bee Three Years Running
A First in MN State Geographic Bee History

St. Paul, Minn. - Nathan Cornelius, a 13-year-old seventh-grade student who is home schooled with the Marshall Area Christian Home Educators Association in Cottonwood, Minn., won first place in the 2005 Minnesota finals of the National Geographic Bee held today at Macalester College in St. Paul, Minn. Cornelius, from Cottonwood, Minn., received $100 cash prize, a globe and a world atlas.

This is the third year in a row Cornelius has won first place at the Minnesota Geographic Bee, an achievement no other Minnesota student has ever accomplished. He is the son of Michele and Craig Cornelius of Cottonwood. His mother Michele is also his teacher.

Cornelius will represent Minnesota at the National Geographic Bee, May 24-25, 2005, in Washington, D.C. The national winner will receive a $25,000 college scholarship. The event is sponsored by the National Geographic Society.

Spencer T. Mann, an eighth-grade student at Chippewa Middle School in Shoreview, Minn., was the second-place winner. Mann, who is from North Oakes, Minn., received a $75 prize, a globe and a world atlas. Mann's teacher is Peggy Biernat.

Coming in third place was Michael Anderson, an eighth-grade student at PACT Charter School in Ramsey, Minn. Anderson, who is from Champlin, Minn., received a $50 prize, a globe and a world atlas. Anderson's teacher is Josh Nyquist. This is the fourth year that Anderson qualified for the Minnesota state competition.

All Geographic Bee participants received T-shirts and certificates.

? This year's winning question was: "The Pribilof Islands, named for the Russian explorer and navigator who discovered fur seal rookeries there, are located in which sea?"
Answer: Bering Sea

One hundred four fourth-eighth graders competed in the preliminary round, answering a variety of questions about world geography. The top 10 scorers advanced to the final round. The tournament included oral and written questions. KARE-11 News Anchor Julie Nelson moderated the final round of this year's competition.

Macalester is a private, national liberal arts college with a full-time enrollment of 1,845 students. Macalester is nationally recognized for its long-standing commitment to academic excellence, internationalism, diversity and civic engagement.

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