It took 16 rounds for a winner to emerge in the annual Wantagh Middle School Geography Bee on Jan. 9, during which students displayed impressive knowledge of the nation and the world. Ultimately, it came down to two competitors in a spirited back-and-forth battle.

Eighth grader Paul Felice took first place after correctly answering Germany as the country in which lederhosen and dirndls are worn during Oktoberfest celebrations. The second-place finisher was seventh grader Ahsan Saleem, who went head-to-head with Paul for seven rounds. Third place went to eighth grader Joe Bianculli.

All three top finishers from the 2024 competition made it back to the finals this year. Last year, Ahsan finished first and Paul tied for second.

The Geography Bee began with class competitions. The 25 winners from sixth, seventh and eighth grade social classes then met in the library for the finals. Teacher David Cippoletti read aloud the questions. Each round had a different focus, such as state nicknames, the seven continents and cities of the world. It was a double-elimination tournament so students were out after two incorrect answers.

Director of Humanities Julie Rosslee noted that geography concepts are found across the curriculum. Students use their knowledge from English, social studies, science and world languages classes to answer challenging questions.