Grant captures fourth geography bee win
By NICK MORONI Contributor January 31, 2012 7:18PM
Jake Grant won his fourth consecutive geography bee at Roosevelt Middle School in River Forest.
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Updated: April 2, 2012 1:55AM
The outcome of River Forest School District 90’s annual geography bee has become as much of a tradition as the actual event itself.
That is, for about the last half-decade one student has managed to walk away with the title each year.
Since he was in fifth grade, Jake Grant, now an eighth-grader at Roosevelt Middle School, has won his school’s National Geographic Geography Bee every year.
Grant said this year’s victory was more fun than the preceding wins because it was more challenging.
“This time it was more exciting because a kid in the seventh grade — nice kid, he just moved from California — he went to the nationals, so it was cool to win against him,” he said.
This is the end of an era for Grant and for Roosevelt. Grant is in his final year at middle school, so he will no longer be competing in the geography bee.
“To be a four-time champion … that’s impressive,” said Tim Considine, a teacher at Roosevelt who helps coordinate the geography bee.
In the interim, Jake has taken a test to qualify for state-level geography bees — a feat he has accomplished for the last three years.
If he makes it to the state level and does well, Jake also has the opportunity to go on to the national finals, which are held in Washington D.C. The finals will be televised and hosted by “Jeopardy!” front-man Alex Trebek.
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