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.
Follow Levittown Patch on Facebook.
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.
Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.
