When asked if he was disappointed to finish third, the 12-year-old from Wai`alae Iki shrugged and looked down at his giant-sized check. After all, 5 million students competed to represent their states and territories, 55 made it to the national competition, and 10 were finalists competing today.

"It’s a little overwhelming...kind of scary," Eric said, looking at the mob of photographers and journalists crowding the stage at the National Geographic Society building.

Eric’s mother Tamya Liaw said, "I’m very proud of him, as usual."

Students correctly answered dozens of questions that left observers often baffled and at times awed. For example, Eric correctly answered this question: After a long dormancy, the Soufriere Hills Volcano on Montserrat began erupting in 1995. This volcanic activity is caused by the collision of the North American and South American plates with which other tectonic plate?

The answer: Caribbean.

But the biggest surprise was the question that eliminated Eric, who also represented Hawai`i last year.

He was asked: Dagestan, a region that includes many different ethnic groups, is located just west of what large body of water?

Eric paused for a moment - questions must be answered within 15 seconds - and then said, Black Sea.

But just as moderator Alex Trebek, host of the TV quiz show "Jeopardy!," was saying his answer was incorrect, Eric burst out: "Oh, the Caspian Sea." Eric was right the second time, but it was too late.

The audience gasped and sighed sympathetically.

"I was surprised," Tamya Liaw said, "because he knew the answer. He could have asked him to repeat the question to have a little more time, but he never asked them to repeat the question. He still did a great job. We’re very proud of him."

As camera-shutters whirred, Eric watched with some trepidation. His mother said Eric still wanted to see "all the museums" during his trip to the nation’s capital.

Andrew Wojtanik, a 14-year-old from Kansas took home first prize, a $25,000 college scholarship, a lifetime subscription to National Geographic Magazine and a trip to Sea World in Florida. Matthew Wells, a 13-year-old from Montana, took the second-place prize of a $15,000 scholarship.