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One by one, different students went up onto the stage, either by themselves or with their team, with the final medals and prizes being awarded. Many different flags were waved and different state anthems played. The final ten questions were starting, with the five students from elementary on stage. As each question was being asked, scores were changing by the second. Finally, the scores came in with the rankings in the individual buzzer rounds being finished. In between the different divisions, other awards were given, with anticipation still in the air. The lieutenant governor of Vermont, Molly Gray, was there as a judge for the climate change in [...]

The day was Thursday July 7th 2022, and was not the usual day at Vermont for most International Geography Bee contestants. Almost everyone contestants, parents and the IAC organizers, were going to either Montreal, Canada or Fort Ticonderoga/Lake Placid, NY. Both were very exciting places to visit with a lot of information and history behind them. In the morning, we started around 8:45 AM as planned for the 90 minute bus ride to Fort Ticonderoga. On the way we crossed over to the state of New York. When we got there we saw pictures of the giant star shaped fort. Fort Ticonderoga is in Northern New York and [...]

Montreal is one of the most important and influential cities not only in Canada but in the Americas as well.  So naturally this was a trip that most of us were looking forward to. After several days of competitions this trip was a welcome trip to let the competitors have a break and explore a new city. After an almost 2 hour drive the buses made it to Montreal. As the buses drove on the bridge to the island of Montreal we got to see picturesque views of the Montreal skyline. After eating lunch at local restaurants the buses got toured around by local tour guides who guided [...]

The Russo-Ukraine war was a highly chosen topic because many students had prior knowledge about the topic in the news. In total, there were 69 contestants from all three divisions compared to the average of ~37.4 students per 3 task forces, or 23 students per division compared to the average of ~12.5 students per round. There were also subtopics that we had to write about specifically, which was one thing we were graded about. The 5 subtopics were: Food production, exports, and the coming global food security crisis Impact of Sanctions on Local and Global Supply Chains Geographic Relevance of Donbas and Luhansk EU Management of Humanitarian Conflict  [...]

As the teams were assigned, many were happy to find out who they were competing with. The teams were determined based on how they did in the individual buzzer rounds. Having scored higher, you were placed onto a higher ranking team such, or having scored lower, you were placed onto a lower-ranked team. Had there been a smaller number of children in a region, there would be only one team of two or three competitors.  On Tuesday, July 5th 2022, the first three rounds were played by every single team. In the first quarter of each round, there were played only the toss-up questions worth ten points each. [...]

And, the topic of the Blitz is…  The geography of the Comoros!  People erupted with cheers and boos on two sides, the excitement, and the disappointment. We were told to quiet down with the noise and went straight into the resources. 30 minutes on the clock were ticking with pages rustling, children chatting quietly, and staff members telling students to be quiet.  Soon, the 30 minutes are up. Everyone frazzled, we all put our resources away, hoping for the best. They bring us the test, 15 questions in 10 minutes. Groans are heard all over, as it is so short. As the halfway mark is announced, students are [...]

At IGC most events are academically focused competitions. All that time spent studying and participating in competitions can make us miss the outdoors. Therefore some competitors decided to go out and about in nature, namely to Mount Mansfield, the highest peak in Vermont which measures precisely 4,395 feet. The hikers were split into 2 groups, the all day group which left earlier in the morning and had been hiking from the morning and the half day group which arrived at the mountain later and hiked until the late afternoon. Both groups got to enjoy picturesque views, whether through a bus window, a gondola window or on a hiking [...]

You might have heard of it because of the name dispute, prior knowledge or only because there was a chance to win a free trip to it at IGC. You also might not have heard about it. But regardless of whether you knew about it or not, North Macedonia is a destination worth being on any traveler's bucket list. Hidden within the Balkans it has a wealth of history, culture and landscapes packed into a country smaller than the US state of Massachuttes. From ancient ruins from former empires to the sights of lake Ohrid to the streets and vendors of Skopje, there is something for every traveler. [...]

At the IGC  winning a medal showcases knowledge and skill in a geographical area. Winning a medal is an award that most, if not all attendees at IGC are hoping to achieve. One medal is already an accomplishment, but what about 5? Well that's what Aadi Gadekar, a rising junior from New Jersey, managed to achieve this July 4th. He scored a gold in geoguessr, the battery exam, knockout, and the historical geography bee. Additionally he won a bronze in the human geography exam. Winning all those events wasn’t easy however. To be able to do so well in the events, Aadi had to (put stuff about how [...]

Yes, the 2022 International Geography Championships have commenced, and as stated, these are just like the Olympics, but in geography. With students from all across the world, this is sure to be an event they will remember for a lifetime. As the flag parade started, all of the states’ and countries’ anthems played. The names of the competitors were announced, one by one. The flags were held by people from respective locations, marching on and off the stage. Many hands hurt with all the clapping. Now, let the games begin! Priyamvada Banerjee Elementary School  Minnesota