Title won with map smarts

When finalists were asked which Asian country is made up of islands on the eastern edge of the South China Sea, Jennifer Starnes knew the answer.
Her response, the Philippines, won her the North Sashabaw Elementary Geography Bee, Jan. 13.
“I’m very proud of her,” said Cathy Starnes, her mother. “She’s an excellent student. We’re very blessed.”
“I just study a lot,” said Jennifer, fourth grader. “It’s good to know about the world and cultures. It’s just interesting.”
Teachers nominated 21 contestants from grades 4-5 for preliminary competition, narrowing to seven for the finals.
Jennifer will complete a written test, which will be used to determine if she qualifies for state level competition in March. After that comes the National Bee in May.