Where in the world is Ashley Breeden?

Quincy youth participates in state geography bee

By Chrystal Doucette

Herald staff writer

QUINCY - While other students spend spring break outside, Ashley Breeden is studying maps of the world to win college scholarships.

Breeden, an 11-year-old sixth-grade student at Monument Elementary School in Quincy, is among a select group of students taking part in the state geography bee Friday in Tacoma.

She is one of two students in Grant County and 100 students statewide qualifying for the competition.

Grand Coulee Dam Middle School eighth-grade student James Kirkpatrick is also participating.

"I just wanted to sign up because it sounded like a new and interesting experience because we don't learn much geography at our school, and I thought I'd learn some new things," Breeden said.

Breeden scored first place in the school competition, qualifying her to take a test for the state competition. She placed within the top 100, which qualified her to compete at the state level.

"I felt surprised because the test was kind of difficult, but I didn't really know how I'd done," she said.

Breeden must win the state competition to participate in the National Geographic Bee in Washington, D.C., sponsored by the National Geographic Society. The first-place winner receives a $25,000 college scholarship, the second-place winner receives a $15,000 scholarship, and the third-place winner receives a $10,000 scholarship. The top 10 finalists receive $500.

"In our constantly evolving world, geographic fluency is more important than ever in helping young people put events and places in context," stated National Geographic Society President John Fahey. "National Geographic is committed to geography education and to helping young people understand and appreciate the world they live in, so that they can become informed and responsible caretakers of the planet."

Breeden, who was studying for the competition at the time she was interviewed, said the geography bee covers territory in the United States and across the globe.

"It's interesting to learn more about the world and (I'm) especially intrigued across the ocean," she said.

Of all the countries in the world, Breeden most enjoys learning about the geography of countries in Africa and Southern Europe.

Beth Breeden, Ashley's mother, said Ashley has not taken much geography yet in school.

"This is the first year that the school has done this geography bee and she thought it would be fun to compete," Beth Breeden said.

Ashley has done well in other competitions, Beth Breeden noted. In fourth and fifth grade, she qualified for the regional spelling bee competition.

In fourth grade, she made it to the state Math is Cool competition.

"She's very interested in academics all around," Beth Breeden said.

Ashley Breeden said her favorite subject in school is math.