Perdido Middle School student, Caylee White, recently received the letter she had be anxiously waiting for, the one that told her she placed in the top 100 for Alabama’s National Geo-Bee. Caylee won the school-wide bee earlier this year, then took the written test which was submitted to determine which students would qualify for the state competition later this month. Cayley’s brother, Willie, placed 4th in the state during the third level of the competition last year, so she will have plenty of help studying and preparing for the next step.

Each year thousands of schools in the United States participate in the National Geographic Bee using materials prepared by the National Geographic Society. The contest is designed to encourage teachers to include geography in their classrooms, spark student interest in the subject, and increase public awareness about geography. Schools with students in grades four through eight are eligible for this entertaining and challenging test of geographic knowledge.

Below is a copy of the congratulatory letter.

J’aime Caylee White has qualified to represent Perdido School and participate at the Alabama state level of the National Geographic Bee, sponsored by Google and Plum Creek. The Alabama Bee will be held on Friday, March 30, 2012 at Samford University in Birmingham.

One winner from each state and territory will advance to the national competition, which will be held May 22-24 at the National Geographic Society headquarters in Washington, D. C. National Geographic Channel and Nat Geo Wild will air the final round of the 2012 National Geographic Bee, moderated by Alex Trebek, on Thursday, May 24 (to be followed on public television stations). Please check local television listings for date and time in your area.