Claremore eight-grader wins Oklahoma Geographic Bee

Saturday, April 3rd 2004, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

EDMOND, Okla. (AP) -- A Claremore eighth-grader correctly answered a question about Canada Friday to win the 16th annual Oklahoma Geographic Bee at the University of Central Oklahoma.

Christopher Chesny said "New Brunswick" when he finished the sentence: "Canada's Chaleur Bay, a fishing ground for mackerel and salmon lies between the Gaspe Peninsula and which province?"

Chesny, a student at Will Rogers Jr. High School, won $100 in cash and a globe from National Geographic. He also will get an expense-paid trip to Washington D.C. for the national competition in May.

The winner there receives a $25,000 scholarship to the college of his or her choice, said William E. Amburn, coordinator of the state geographic bee.

Brandon Ranallo, a seventh-grader from Haileyville, placed second, while Tristan Lenaerts, a seventh-grader at the Classen School of Advanced Study in Oklahoma City, came in third.

"We had a packed audience that were just amazed at the knowledge," Amburn said. "Kids like that show such promise and academic excellence."

The preliminary round of the bee included 102 fourth- through eight-grade contestants from schools across the state, Amburn said.

Those students advanced to the state competition, where they were split into five groups and assigned eight questions to answer correctly. Two wrong answers resulted in elimination, Amburn said.

The scores were then tallied and 10 students advanced to the final round, where they had to answer three questions.

Lenaerts was eliminated in a sudden death round with Ranallo.

The National Geographic Society and ING, a financial service, sponsored the event.