Idaho Student Places Third at National Geographic Bee

An Idaho student won 3rd place at the National Geographic Bee, competing against millions of students nationwide to win a $10,000 scholarship.

Karthik Mouli is a 12-year-old 6th grader at Hillside Junior High School in Boise. He represented Idaho at the 2009 National Geographic Bee. According to the National Geographic Bee website, Mouli likes to dissect computer hardware discs and see how electronic components work. He hopes to use geography in the future to track bird migrations and eclipses.

Each year, thousands of schools in the United States participate in the National Geographic Bee using materials prepared by the National Geographic Society. The contest is designed to encourage teachers to include geography in their classrooms, spark student interest in the subject, and increase public awareness about geography. Schools with students in grades four through eight are eligible for this entertaining and challenging test of geographic knowledge.

Moulie made it to the top 10 finalists round along with students from Florida, Georgia, Kansas, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Utah, Virginia, West Virginia, and Wisconsin.

Aadith Moorthy, 13, of Florida won the National Geographic Bee, which includes a $25,000 college scholarship, free trip to the Gálapagos Islands and lifetime membership to the National Geographic Society.

Oliver Lucier, 13, of Rhode Island, took second place and won a $15,000 college scholarship, and Moulie came in third and won a $10,000 scholarship.

Listen to Boise State Radio's interview with Karthik Mouli.

~ Melissa M.