14th National Geographic Bee
2002 American academic competition
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The 14th National Geographic Bee was held in Washington, D.C., on May 22, 2002, sponsored by the National Geographic Society. The final competition was moderated by Jeopardy! host Alex Trebek.[1] The winner was Calvin McCarter, a homeschooled student from Jenison, Michigan, who won a $25,000 college scholarship and lifetime membership in the National Geographic Society. As of 2019, McCarter is the only 5th grader to have won the competition. The 2nd-place winner, Matthew Russell of Bradford, Pennsylvania, won a $15,000 scholarship. The 3rd-place winner, Erik Miller of Kent, Washington, won a $10,000 scholarship.[2]
| 14th National Geographic Bee | |
|---|---|
| Date | May 22, 2002 |
| Location | Washington, D.C. |
| Winner | Calvin McCarter |
| Age | 10 |
| Residence | Jenison, Michigan |
| No. of contestants | 55 |
| Preceded by | 13th National Geographic Bee |
| Followed by | 15th National Geographic Bee |
2002 State Champions
| State | Winner's Name | Grade | School | City/Town | Place | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Isaiah P. Hess | Top 10 finalist | |||||
| Aaron Kiersh | Top 10 finalist | |||||
| Department of Defense | Ryan J. Felix | 8th | won the Department of Defense Bee in 2001 | Top 10 finalist | ||
| Benjamin S. Detrixhe | 5th | Ames Elementary School | Ames | Top 10 finalist (9th place) | Won the Kansas State Bee in 2001 | |
| Calvin McCarter | 5th | Jenison | 2002 Champion | |||
| New York | Nathaniel R. Mattison | Top 10 finalist | ||||
| Alexander Taylor Smith | Top 10 finalist | |||||
| John Rice | 8th | Maddock | Won the North Dakota State Bee in 2000 and 2001 | Top 10 finalist | ||
| Matthew Russell | Bradford | Second Place | ||||
| Derek Wells | 5th | Pinnacle Canyon Academy | Wellington | |||
| Washington | Erik Miller | Kent | Third Place |