5th Grader Wins MS Geography Bee
by Matt Lukach, 6th grade social studies teacher
Recently the middle school participated in the annual national Geography Bee, hosted by National Geographic.
Recently the middle school participated in the annual national Geography Bee, hosted by National Geographic.
Our school has a more-than-decent history with this event, sending a participant to the State Bee every year and even having past students win the State Bee and go on to compete on the national stage in Washington, DC.
The route to becoming the school champion is no easy task. First you must beat out your fellow grade-level students (almost always this requires a perfect seven out of seven in the prelims). After that, you go on to yet another round of single elimination questioning, this time going up against the top two students from each grade level. If you have survived this far, you will then continue on to the "Championship Round," where the questions get a healthy dose more difficult.
Usually, the championship round is something of a middle school-wide spectacle at town meeting. However, this year we were snowed out and forced to scale down the event, putting it in the sixth grade social studies classroom.
The lack of crowds didn't take away from the fierce back-and-forth among the top five participants. At the end of several tie breaker questions, it was fifth grader Luke Dinger who bested seventh grader Michael Gordon to become our school champ. He's no stranger to tense situations when it comes to answering tough questions. As a fourth grader (!) last year, he made it to the championship round.
He will surely be among only a small handful of fifth graders to compete at the State Bee in April. Don't confuse his youth for a lack of confidence; Luke is the real deal, and it will be exciting to see what he does at the state bee. The winning question that solidified his place in USN Geography Bee lore?
The route to becoming the school champion is no easy task. First you must beat out your fellow grade-level students (almost always this requires a perfect seven out of seven in the prelims). After that, you go on to yet another round of single elimination questioning, this time going up against the top two students from each grade level. If you have survived this far, you will then continue on to the "Championship Round," where the questions get a healthy dose more difficult.
Usually, the championship round is something of a middle school-wide spectacle at town meeting. However, this year we were snowed out and forced to scale down the event, putting it in the sixth grade social studies classroom.
The lack of crowds didn't take away from the fierce back-and-forth among the top five participants. At the end of several tie breaker questions, it was fifth grader Luke Dinger who bested seventh grader Michael Gordon to become our school champ. He's no stranger to tense situations when it comes to answering tough questions. As a fourth grader (!) last year, he made it to the championship round.
He will surely be among only a small handful of fifth graders to compete at the State Bee in April. Don't confuse his youth for a lack of confidence; Luke is the real deal, and it will be exciting to see what he does at the state bee. The winning question that solidified his place in USN Geography Bee lore?
This city in contemporary China was once the home of the ancient Forbidden City where the emperor would live in isolation from the rest of society.
If you see Luke in the hallway, I'm sure he'll tell you the answer, and be sure to congratulate him and wish him luck in April.
Top 10 Finalists:
Margherita Moro
Cameron Thompson
Simon Rosenblum
Luke Dinger
Jordan Turner
Leif Clark
Michael Gordon
Zoe Rosenblum
Jude Hoekstra
Lyra Grossman
School News
List of 3 news stories.
-
Stokes earns Excellence in Auxiliary Award
Read MoreDirector of Auxiliary Services Rebecca Stokes was given the Summer Programs and Auxiliary Revenue Collaborative’s award for her work including students in the selection of a new playground, transitioning the school bookstore, refining registration systems and processes for summer camps & enrichment activities, and expanding the school’s cultural and holiday celebrations to be inclusive of USN’s diverse student body. -
Preview USN on November 14
University School of Nashville welcomes prospective families to tour the Edgehill Campus, speak with students, faculty, and administrators, and learn about our K-12 school's academic, athletic, and arts offerings. Sessions will take place at 9:30 a.m. for Middle & High Schools and 1 p.m. for Lower School. Let us know you are coming at usn.org/preview.Read More -
Secure your tickets to Artclectic Patrons Party today
Read MoreFor more than 30 years, Artclectic has been one of Nashville's premier juried art shows, welcoming nationally recognized artists and visitors from across the city to USN's Sperling Gym turned art gallery. The weekend features exceptional artwork, artist demonstrations, student experiences, family activities, and special events that celebrate creativity, with proceeds benefiting USN. Purchase your tickets today.
Athletics News
List of 3 news stories.
-
HS athletics recaps for September 11-17
Tiger golfers have officially qualified for the region tournament, and our other teams are not far behind. Volleyball sits near the top of the district, finishing up regular season play next week with Senior Night. Girls soccer continues to hold first place in the district after another 9-0 win, and our cross country runners are chasing after some school records. To round it all out, our mountain bike team traveled to Oakfield to continue to improve on their times for the season. There’s plenty more where that came from- so be sure to come out to the River Campus, Sperling Gym, or out on the road to cheer on our Tigers before their seasons end.Read More -
MS athletics recaps for September 11-17
Middle School volleyball and tennis teams are nearing the final games of their seasons, with the competition heating up while the Tigers play to determine their HVAC rankings. Cross country was finally able to race at the River Campus despite the heat, and our mountain biking team traveled to Oakfield, Tennessee, for a high-temperature race weekend.Read More -
MTB Race #2 Report - Rockabilly Ridge Trails, Oakfield, TN
The MTB team returned to the the twisty trails of tranquil Oakfield, TN on Sept 13th to take part in the second race of the season, as part of the 5-race series hosted by the NICA/TICL League.Read More
Contact
Edgehill Campus
2000 Edgehill Ave.
Nashville, TN 37212
Phone: 615-321-8000
Fax: 615-321-0889
Email: info@usn.org
River Campus
1200 County Hospital Road
Nashville, TN 37218
2000 Edgehill Ave.
Nashville, TN 37212
Phone: 615-321-8000
Fax: 615-321-0889
Email: info@usn.org
River Campus
1200 County Hospital Road
Nashville, TN 37218
USN Mission:
University School of Nashville models the best educational practices. In an environment that represents the cultural and ethnic composition of Metropolitan Nashville, USN fosters each student’s intellectual, artistic, and athletic potential, valuing and inspiring integrity, creative expression, a love of learning, and the pursuit of excellence.
University School of Nashville models the best educational practices. In an environment that represents the cultural and ethnic composition of Metropolitan Nashville, USN fosters each student’s intellectual, artistic, and athletic potential, valuing and inspiring integrity, creative expression, a love of learning, and the pursuit of excellence.