Annual Geography Bee coming up on Jan. 11th

National Geographic Geography Bee on January 11th, 2013!

    Local homeschooling students in grades 4-8 have the delightful opportunity to participate in our annual National Geographic Geography Bee! 

    In the Roseburg area, this is for traditionally homeschooled students only.  Unfortunately, due to the legal nature of the term "homeschooler", charter school students who do public school work at home aren't eligible to participate in this local geography bee unless their charter school has its own local geography bee for their own students.

    Participation in the local National Geographic Geography Bee is a wonderful way to introduce your children to a new educational experience, even if they aren't completely "sold out" on learning geography - and even if they haven't really practiced for this Bee! 

    All of the quizzing is completed in a low-key  manner designed to encourage the students.  The first few sets of questions are simple and give each student an opportunity for success.  Students are not eliminated from the Geography Bee just because they get a few questions wrong.  The individual who has the most questions correct at the end of the Bee will be selected as our local winner.

    Because the Geography Bee is formatted in this way according to the National Geographic Geography Bee rules, it's an excellent way for your children to practice being under pressure up in front of a small group.  This is a very important skill to learn!  If your children seem reluctant to participate because they are nervous, haven't studied a lot, or aren't used to being up in front of a small group or audience, this is a perfect way to introduce them to this kind of situation.  The coping skills they will learn from being up in front of an audience will help them as adults when going to job interviews, giving small presentations for work or ministry, etc.  We encourage all homeschooled students to come and participate, just for the fun and practice of it, even if geography isn't their key focus!

    The winner of our local homeschool National Geographic Geography Bee will take a written geography test within a couple of weeks after winning the local Bee.  The score received on the test will determine whether or not the student will qualify and advance to the statewide competition (made up of students from all educational walks of life around the state of Oregon).  Occasionally, a local winner won't receive a high enough score to compete at the statewide level, but we have also had local homeschooled students who did exceptionally well at the Oregon National Geographic Geography Bee!  One year, our local winner came in 2nd place statewide!  Amazing!  We've also had other students finish in the top ten in the state.  Congrats to you all!  Thet statewide first-place winner advances to the national level of competition.

    Our 2013 Homeschool National Geographic Geography Bee is scheduled for Friday, January 11th at 11:00 a.m. at the Roseburg branch of the Douglas County Library (on Diamond Lake Blvd.). 

    Local homeschoolers in grades 4-8 may participate.  You don't need to sign up early to compete.  Just show up a little before 11:00!

    It is also fun for families to come out and watch the students compete!   :)    When you make the effort to come out and observe and cheer on the students who are competing (whether just for the experience of it or to seriously compete), you are encouraging those students who are willing to give it a try.  Please place this event on your calendar for January 11th, 2013 and cheer on all of the students who are making the effort to compete at the local level!

NEW THIS YEAR: prizes for participants!

    If you have any questions about the local Geography Bee, please feel free to email Gabrielle.

    A special "thank you" goes out to the LaLande family and Roseburg Adjusters for sponsoring the Geography Bee again this year!

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