Levittown Student Takes First Place in Geography Bee

Levittown eighth-grader Michael Finkelstein was the first-place winner in the Jonas Salk Middle School’s annual geography bee.

Finkelstein was the last standing of 25 students who endured a one-hour competition involving difficult questions and facts concerning U.S. cities, continents, world geography and culturally important places and issues.

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Prior to the geography bee, the students in grades 6-8 were given a qualifying exam. The highest scorers were then selected to compete in this 15-year Salk tradition. The students lined up on the stage, much like a spelling bee, and were individually asked a question. Each student was allowed to answer one question incorrectly without being disqualified.

In the last round of the competition, the remaining contestants answered their questions in a written format, and the best of three was the winner.

 “Just the journey to this stage is an incredible feat,” social studies teacher Eric Rubin told the contestants.