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Community Corner

Darien's John Phipps Wins CT Geography Bee

John Phipps, Middlesex Middle School 6th grader, won the 2014 Connecticut Geography Bee earning him the honor to advance on to the National Geographic Bee competition in Washington, D.C.  

100 students in fourth through eight grade competed in the CT Geography Bee, which was held at the Central Connecticut State University on April 4th and was sponsored by the National Geographic Society.  In order to compete at this state level, the students first had to win their school’s geography bee competition, and, then, had to place in the top 100 in the state on a qualifying written exam. 

Phipps was one of four Darien students who competed in the CT Geographic Bee this year.  Darien resident and St Luke’s 5th grader, Jackson Hart, placed an impressive 4th in the state competition.   Phipps is the 8th Darien student to win the CT bee since it began in 1989.  Darien schools have produced the most state level geographic bee winners than any other school district in the country.

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Phipps prepares for his geography competitions with the help of Barbara Ivey at Middlesex Middle School.  Ivey is the Geography Bee Coordinator for Darien public schools and also works in Middlesex Middle School’s library.   She and Phipps work together three or four afternoons a week to prepare for the geography competitions.

As CT Geography Bee champion, Phipps won a $100 prize, a set of world atlases, and an all expense paid trip to Washington, D.C. where he will represent CT in the national finals at National Geographic Headquarters on May 19th -21st. 

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The National Geographic Channel and the Nat Geo Wild will air the final round of the 2014 National Bee, moderated by host Soledad O-Brien, on Thursday May 22nd at 7pm.   

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