Braden River Middle student knows the buzz words

Andrew Landers focused on the metal chair in front of him as he waited for the final question.

He closed his eyes as Chris Brown, a Braden River Middle School social studies teacher, read his question aloud.

"Coke, the fuel used in iron- and steel-making, is made from what fossil fuel?" Brown asked.

Landers mentally skimmed through the 10 pages of handwritten notes he had memorized that morning, Feb. 3, before the school's annual Geographic Bee.

"Coal," Landers said.

His studying paid off. Landers won the bee, which spanned more than four hours and seven rounds.

"It was a hard question," Landers said. "I was nervous at first."

After winning the school's bee, he took a quiz to determine whether he qualified to participate in the state Geographic Bee to be held April 1 at Jacksonville University.

He will find out March 4 whether he advances to the next round.

The National Geographic Bee will take place from May 22 through May 25 in Washington D.C. There, students will compete for $15,000, $25,000 and $50,000 scholarships.

His win marks the first time in three years that the school has had a sixth-grade winner. Landers will receive a $50 gift card and a certificate for his win, a result of nights spent reading his notes.

Studying for the bee wasn't grueling work for him, though.

Landers has a passion for learning about foreign countries, even though he has never left the United States.

He started collecting maps a year ago. On his dresser he keeps a book of hundreds of maps of Central, South and North America and other parts of the globe.

Sometimes, he uses a sharpie to write on the maps, marking capitals and fun facts he has learned in Brown's class.

"I know the most about Greece and Central America," Landers said. "I could brush up on Europe."

Although Braden River doesn't offer a geography class and most middle schools have phased them out over the last 10 years, the subject is still woven into social studies and civics courses, Brown said.

"It's so important for students to know where parts of the world are located," Brown said. "A lot of schools stopped hosting these types of competitions, but it's good for students to have a competitive atmosphere."

This summer, the Landers family is traveling to Germany.

"I can't wait to go," Andrew Landers said. "It's our world and we should know more about it."