Press Release - Friday, June 16, 2006
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Illinois eighth grader takes top honors at 2006 National Geographic Bee!! Lt. Gov. Quinn presents Hometown Hero Award to Illinois' first-ever National Geographic Bee Champion!
CHICAGO - Friday, Lt. Governor Pat Quinn presented 12-year-old geography whiz Bonny Jain of Moline, IL with a Hometown Hero Award. Jain took top honors at the National Geographic Bee in Washington D.C., becoming the first-ever Illinois student to bring home the championship.
"Bonny Jain beat out the best and the brightest students from across the nation to bring the National Geographic Bee championship home to Illinois," Quinn said. "We are proud that a student from the Land of Lincoln knows so much about the landscape of the world."
Nearly 5 million students took part in the National Geographic Bee this year, and the 55 state and territory winners gathered in Washington D.C. for the grueling final contest on May 24.
Bonny Jain placed fourth in last year's geography competition, but this year the eighth grader from Woodrow Wilson Middle School took control when it all came down to one final tiebreaking question: "Name the mountains that extend across much of Wales from the Irish Sea to the Bristol Channel."
Jain ended the competition when he answered correctly: "Cambrian."
With that winning response, Jain collected a $25,000 scholarship and a lifetime membership in the National Geographic Society. Not to mention the title of National Geographic Bee Champion.
"Bonny Jain has shown his determination and grit time and time again," Quinn said. "And it's important for all of us to salute this special student and his parents and teachers."
Jain not only won the National Geographic Bee this year, but he also competed in the 79th Annual Scripps National Spelling Bee in Washington D.C., the toughest spelling competition on earth. In addition, Jain is an accomplished tennis and violin player. And, while he's proven his excellence in geography and spelling, it is actually math that is his strongest subject.
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