WORCESTER —William J. Lee, an eighth-grade student at Joyce Middle School in Woburn, is the champion of the 2008 Massachusetts Geographic Bee, winning a place at the National Geographic Bee in May. The state competition was held Friday, April 4, at Clark University.Ý

He is the son of William and Sharon Lee.

William credited his father for his great interest in and knowledge of geography.

"It was all my Dad's fault," he quipped. "When I was five he got me this electric globe. ... It really got me intrigued by the way the world works and all the people in it."

He also thanked Mr. (Joseph) Tuzzelo, his geography teacher at Woburn Middle School.

Mr. Lee said his son not only worked hard to know his locations, but keeps up with current events and can spot an outdated map or globe.

William won a $100 prize, a National Geographic World Globe, and an all-expenses-paid trip to Washington, D.C., to compete in the National Geographic Bee finals, May 20-21. The national winner will receive a $25,000 college scholarship.

Joel A. Wilner, in sixth grade at the Advanced Math & Science Academy Charter School in Marlboro, took second honors. He received $75 and a National Geographic World Globe. He is the son of James and Laura Wilner. Joel thanked his parents "for bearing with me" and talked about how a set of place mats with maps of the world initiated his interest in geography. He also thanked his teacher, Michelle Bock.

Charles R. Grudem, in seventh grade at Pierce Middle School in Milton, finished third. He received $50 and a National Geographic World Globe. He is the son of Robert and Suzanne Grudem. Besides thanking his parents, Charles credited his teacher Justin Daley.

The final challenge of the competition - Tourists visiting Da Nang are drawn by beautiful beaches and museums and landmarks of the Cham culture. Name the long narrow Asian country where Da Nang is located. Answer: Vietnam

The crowd of fourth- through eighth-grade students, representing dozens of towns and cities in Massachusetts, their families and teachers, were welcomed by Clark President John Bassett before the competition began.

The students had already successfully faced school-level and qualifying competitions.Ý All received T-shirts and certificates for their efforts at the competition at Clark.

Rosalie Sokol, a retired geography teacher, moderated the final round. This year's sponsor of the 2008 Massachusetts Geographic Bee is Plum Creek.

More than one hundred students who have already successfully faced school-level and qualifying competitions will vie for the state championship, a $100 prize and an all-expenses-paid trip to Washington, D.C., to compete in the national finals on May 20-21.

The second- and third-place state winners will also receive cash prizes, and all three will receive world globes. First prize in the national competition is a $25,000 college scholarship and a lifetime membership in the National Geographic Society.

For more information, contact Clark University's Teachers Center for Global Studies at 508-793-7696.

The National Geographic Society developed the National Geography Bee in 1989 in response to concern about the lack of geographic knowledge among young people in the United States. To learn more about the National Geographic Bee, you can visit the following online: www.nationalgeographic.com/geographybee.

Clark University is a private, co-educational liberal-arts research university with 2,000 undergraduate and 800 graduate students. Since its founding in 1887 as the first all-graduate school in the United States, Clark has challenged convention with innovative programs such as the International Studies Stream, the Strassler Family Center for Holocaust and Genocide Studies and the accelerated BA/MA programs with the fifth year tuition-free for eligible students.

The University is featured in Loren Pope's book, "Colleges That Change Lives."