Homewood Middle student places second in state Geo Bee

Robert Merchant, a seventh grader at Homewood Middle School, placed second in the statewide National Geographic Bee this April.

The Geo Bee took place on Friday, April 1 at Samford University, and Robert competed against around 100 other students. Robert’s younger brother James Merchant also competed in the Geo Bee.

Robert made it to the statewide bee after correctly identifying Vancouver as the largest city in British Columbia during the Homewood Middle School geography bee.

He became interested in geography through an elementary school computer game identifying U.S. states and cities. He started studying to prepare for the schoolwide bee and first qualified for the state bee in fourth grade. In fourth, fifth and sixth grades, he qualified and placed fifth in the state bee, making this year his highest finish to date.

The National Geographic Bee is open to students in fourth through eighth grade, so there is a chance Robert would compete again next year.