6th-grader seeks geography title
By Frank Oliveri
Advertiser Washington Bureau
WASHINGTON — Punahou School sixth-grader Eric Liaw was perfect yesterday, advancing to today's final round of the 16th annual National Geographic Bee.
Gannett News Service
From Jordan to Russia, the first European stock exchange to the Black Sea, Eric calmly breezed through nine rounds of questioning to reach the group of 10 finalists. This is his second year as Hawai'i's representative. He was eliminated after the first day last year.
Punahou School sixth-grader Eric Liaw was perfect through nine rounds of questions yesterday to reach today's finals of the National Geographic Bee. "A lot of people were impressed at how relaxed he was," his teacher said.
Tamya Liaw says her son Eric is driven by curiosity rather than ambition and that reaching the final round of the National Geographic Bee is "not a big deal" to him.
"I'm more nervous than him," said Eric's mom, Tamya Liaw, of Wai'alae Iki.
Eric's teacher, John Saporito, said, "A lot of people were impressed with how relaxed he was. It all gets funneled into his mother."
First prize is a $25,000 college scholarship and other prizes. Second place is a $15,000 scholarship and third is a $10,000 scholarship. The competition is designed to encourage the teaching and study of geography.
Eric, 12, won $500 for finishing among the top 10. Host Alex Trebek of the quiz show "Jeopardy!" will moderate the finals. The final round airs nationally on the National Geographic Channel.
Fifty-five students from schools in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, the Pacific territories, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands and Department of Defense Dependents Schools took part. Students from grades four to eight compete.
Eight of the 10 finalists answered all nine questions correctly. Two others who had one wrong answer won an elimination round to go on to the finals.
"I can tell you with complete honesty that no more than one or two (employees) at the National Geographic magazine would be in the top 10," said Gilbert Grosvenor, chairman of the National Geographic Society.
• • • Are you up to the challenge? Here are some sample questions from yesterday's first round of the National Geographic Bee: Q: What fossil fuel generates most of the electricity in the United States? A: Coal Q: Name one Middle Eastern country that got snow this winter. A: Jordan
Eric answered all his questions well within the 15-second time limit and seemed laid back among other competitors, some of whom were reduced to tears when they realized they would not advance.
Bee on TV
"I think this year everybody is so strong" academically, said Tamya Liaw, an architect. "It's much stronger than last year."
But for her son, "It's not a big deal. ... He's not ambitious or goal-driven. He's full of curiosity."
Eric said he prepared by reading books about geography and maps.
His teacher said Eric doesn't simply memorize facts.
"He learns because he's an avid reader," Saporito said. "It's not like the spelling bee, where you memorize words."
When asked what his toughest question was, Eric shrugged.
He said that when he faced his final question, he was feeling good, knowing he'd already gotten eight correct answers.
"Then I said, 'Be careful.' "
His favorite question? A large bird called the great bustard can be found in grasslands of Irkutsk, which is located in what country? The answer: Russia.
A celebration is planned for Eric at Punahou regardless of whether he wins today.
But when Tamya Liaw was asked what she planned for Eric when he comes home, she said: "He needs to finish all his homework."
