Outstanding Student
By Paul, age 13 , from Mcleansville, North Carolina
Mar 31, 2003

In May 2002, in Washington D.C., National Geographic held its most important bee, and guess who won it? The answer to that question would be Calvin McCarter, a 10-year-old (yes, a 10-year-old) home schooled student who lives near Grand Rapids, Michigan. Calvin was the youngest competitor, beating teenager who were almost veterans. Is this outstanding or what? All of this has to be worth something, right? Well let me tell you, boy is it worth something! The grand prize that Calvin won was a $25,000 collage scholarship and an almost obvious lifetime membership to the National Geographic Society. Calvin later stated, "The money is nice...I just try to relax while answering questions".

The final round was, well, almost the typical final round. Both Calvin and the other contestant were asked the same 5 questions!! Then they were tied with each one having one wrong answer (sound familiar?), but then the final question came, and the pressure was on. The question was: What country uses Lop Nur, a marshy depression at the eastern end of the Tarim Basin, as a nuclear test site? (Not exactly the easiest question around - you got me on that one.) Well, Calvin answered the correct answer, China, while our other contestant guessed France.

After the bee was over, Calvin's contestant said that he was really amazed. He said that Calvin had come in 10th 2 years ago (which is good for an 8-year-old) and beat him on the final round.

Calvin is also known for his stamp collecting hobby. He has mentioned that his favorite stamp is a Cold War stamp from the Soviet Republic of Byelorussia (which today is an independent country, Belarus). He is also very enthusiastic about soccer (just like me) and to show his dedication he gave it up to study for the Bee.

But to demonstrate that this is not your average School Geography Bee I will know show you some actual questions of the National Geographic Bee:

1) The Churchill, Slave, and Peace Rivers are in what country?

2) Name the two remaining constituent republics of Yugoslavia.

3) Name the only country in Southeast Asia not colonized by a European power.

4) Name the ethnically distinct region of northern France that was settled by Celtic people.

5) Lake Assad, created by a major hydroelectric dam, is located on which river?

6) Which country administered Papua New Guinea prior to its independence in 1975?

7) St. Petersburg is located on the delta of the Neva River where it empties into what gulf?

8) What term describes the drainage pattern on a cinder cone volcano such as Mount Etna?

9) On May 20, East Timor officially gained independence after claiming sovereignty from Indonesia since 1975. Name the capital of this new country.

10) Pakistan's largest province has the country's smallest provincial population. Name this province.

These are not exactly easily answered questions. I will tell you the truth. If I had not studied these questions, I would not have a clue to their answers. But anyway, here they are just so you know the answers: 1. Canada. 2. Serbia and Montenegro. 3. Thailand. 4. Brittany. 5. The Euphrates. 6. Australia. 7. The Gulf of Finland. 8. Radial. 9. Dili. 10. Baluchistan.

This has just come to show that homeschooling has gained momentum results show that we aren't just undersocialized children! A recent poll has showed that there is now over 3 million families home schooling their kids. We are truly blessed to have this opportunity to be able to study in our homes with religious freedom. I am sure Calvin is really glad to have been home schooled because it has allowed him to have the opportunity to participate in and also win the National Geographic Bee. Well, that is another amazing homeschooling story for you, but remember if you work hard enough at it you can accomplish great things. And, who knows? maybe I will write about you someday!