Shreeya Yarlagadda, a 7th grader at Cowles Montessori School, will represent DMPS at the 2019 National Geographic GeoBee Iowa State Competition.

Congratulations to Cowles Montessori 7th grader Shreeya Yarlagadda, who qualified for the semifinals of the 2019 National Geographic GeoBee Iowa State Competition to be held at the University of Northern Iowa on Friday, March 29, 2019.

This is the second level of the competition, which is in its 31st year. GeoBees were held for 4th-8th grade students throughout the state to determine school champions who then took an online qualifying test, which they submitted to the National Geographic Society.

This year, National Geographic increased the prize money for all State GeoBees. State champions will receive a medal, $1,000 in cash, and other prizes, as well as a trip to Washington, D.C., to represent their state in the National Championship at National Geographic Society headquarters, May 19-22.

The national champion will receive a $25,000 college scholarship, $1,000 in cash, a lifetime membership in the National Geographic Society, and an all-expenses-paid Lindblad expedition to the Galápagos Islands aboard the National Geographic Endeavour ll; second place will receive at $10,000 college scholarship and $1,000 in cash; third place will receive a $5,000 college scholarship.

So, in addition to our congratulations to Shreeya, let’s all wish her good luck, too!