JACKSON, Wyo. — Three local students are taking their spelling chops to the state level this month and schools are “buzzing” with excitement.
Jackson Hole Classical Academy eighth-grader Paschall McDaniel will compete in the Wyoming State Spelling Bee March 28.
Teton County School District announced today that Wilson Elementary fourth-grader Victoria Morin was named a semifinalist in the 2020 National Geographic GeoBee State Competition. Jackson Hole Classical Academy sixth-grader Winston Ochs will also be competing. The competition is Friday, March 27 at Casper College.
If either of them wins at state, they will represent Wyoming in the National Championship in Washington DC in May. State champions receive a medal, $1,000 in cash, and other prizes. National champions win additional cash, awards, and college scholarships. Second and third-place State GeoBee winners will receive cash awards of $300 and 100, respectively.
Each student won their school GeoBee competition and also took an online qualifying test to qualify for the state championships.
The 2020 National Championship will take place May 18-21 at National Geographic headquarters. The National Champion will receive a $25,000 college scholarship, $1,000 in cash, a lifetime membership in the National Geographic Society and an all-expenses-paid Lindblad expedition to the Galápagos Islands aboard the National Geographic Endeavour ll.
The second-place finisher will receive a $10,000 college scholarship and $1,000 in cash; the student finishing in third place will receive a $5,000 college scholarship and $1,000 in cash; and seven runners-up will each receive $1,000 in cash.
No matter the results at the state level, these three students have already made Jackson proud.
