Tough Geographic Bee competition awaits Santos

Victoria Nicole Santos, left, and her coach Manuel Castro use the free period in reviewing for the National Geographic Bee finals. Santos, her parents, and Castro left last Saturday in time for the start of competition on Monday, Tuesday on Saipan, in Washington, D.C. (Jon Perez)

Victoria Nicole Santos is expecting a tougher competition when she competes in today’s National Geographic Bee finals in Washington, D.C. The 12-year-old, her coach Manuel Castro, and parents Ferdinand and Imelda Santos left Saipan last Saturday.

They went via Guam-Honolulu-Los Angeles-Baltimore in Maryland. They are expected to arrive in Washington, D.C. on Sunday, Monday on Saipan, in time for the welcoming of the 54 contestants.

Santos, an incoming 8th grader who is on the Marianas Baptist Academy President’s List, had been studying at home and practicing with her coach at school since earning the right to represent the Pacific Territories last month. Castro gave her all the materials to review.

She will be going up against the representatives from the 50 U.S. states, the federal district of Washington, D.C., Atlantic Territories of Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the Department of Defense Dependents Schools.

The elimination round starts today with the Top 10 moving on the finals. World culture, history, and geography are the questions that will be asked to all contestants.

Castro said they also submitted a video answer on the judges’ pre-question: What place would you make a national park in your area if you have the power to choose? Santos answered the old airport on Saipan where World War II bunkers can still be seen with the other side being the Laolao and Obyan beaches.

Santos, who is experiencing mixed emotions with the trip, said she considers history as her strength in the competition. “But I’m a little bit weak when it comes to places. You need to be specific with your answers in the questions in this category.”

She studied the almanac, maps, and history books in preparation for the May 22-26 competition.

This will also be the first time since 2008 that a CNMI bet made it to the national finals. Vinni Orsini was the first from the CNMI that represented the Pacific Island Territories.

Santos first won MBA’s competition to earn the right of representing MBA to be one of the Top 10 in the Pacific Territories competition where she finished on top to reach the national finals.

Jabez Victoria (Grace Christian Academy-Saipan), Xue Zhen Qiu (Hopwood), Guam’s Katherine Cruz (Bishop Baumgartner Memorial Catholic School), Napu Blas (Captain Henry B. Price Elementary School), and Brian Chan (Harvest Christian Academy), and American Samoa’s Sitivi Wong Mageo (Manumalo Baptist Academy), Tovi’o Aufata (Olomoana Elementary School), Victor Chen (Pacific Horizons School), and Aiden Siuloa (U.P. Coleman Elementary School) are the other Pacific Territories finalists.