Benton is best at MES GeoBee

Rain that falls on the slopes of Triple Divide Peak in Glacier National Park eventually flows to the Pacific, the Atlantic and which other ocean?

Give up?

Malta Elementary School fifth grade student Bridger Benton knew, and correctly answered "Arctic" on his way to the 2020 elementary school Geography Bee last Thursday.

"I am excited," Benton said in his post win interview. Benton, who studied for the GeoBee much of the previous day and tied for first place in his classes' primary heat of the Bee, said he was feeling confident before the day's event, but not sure he would win.

"I didn't know how well I would do against the fourth graders, and Forrest, Finn and John all did really well in our class," Benton said.

The contestants at the MES GeoBee were fourth and fifth grade students Benton, Kayla Ottinger (who took second place), Steeler Blunt, Dawson Jones, Forrest Bessman, Madasyn Richan, John Richey (third), and Finn Witmer; Phillips County Superintendent of Schools Darlene Kolczak was the emcee, Rosemary S. Veseth the judge, and Steve Schumacher the event's timer.

At the Malta Middle School GeoBee held last Friday, Tova Anderson earned the championship, Ariyanna Constante took second, and Madelyn Ohl finished in third.

Next up for Benton and Anderson will be a written Geography Bee test to see if they qualify for the State of Montana GeoBee in March in hopes of qualifying for the National Event held in Washington, D.C. in May. The State and National Events are sponsored by National Geographic magazine.