KIPP eighth grader one step away from National Geography Bee in Washington

LYNN – Winning academic bees is becoming a habit at the KIPP Academy Lynn charter school. Less than a month after eighth grader Kaylee D’Amico won the annual Daily Item Regional Spelling Bee and a free trip to Washington, D.C., fellow eighth grader Khalil Flemming is headed to Worcester to compete in the Massachusetts State Geography Bee Championships.If Flemming comes out on top this Friday at the state bee, he will be headed to the nation’s capital himself to compete for the National Geography Bee Championship.Unlike a spelling bee, where contestants take the microphone one by one to spell words, participants in geography bees are split into groups and given a series of questions based on everything from location, topography, politics and history.Students who answer the most questions correctly move on to the final group of 10 to compete for the championship.The eighth grade student has breezed through both his classroom and school geography bees, thus qualifying for a trip to Worcester.Flemming has been taking daily geography quizzes to brush up on his knowledge, and is reading a book written by a former champion that gives tips and sample questions to help him prepare.”It is hard to study because they ask a variety of questions about physical features, historical and political facts,” he said. “It is easier to learn things like capitals and landmarks for me, like a desert or a forest. I am also into theatre so I have practice remembering lines.”Flemming is no stranger to the bee, as a sixth grader two years ago he was one of the youngest contestants in Worcester. He did not make it to the final round, but says this year he will be more prepared because he is studying hard and has a better idea of what to expect.”I definitely hope to do well this time because I didn’t make it to the finals last time,” he said. “I am much better prepared for this than I was when I was in sixth grade.”Flemming, who was recently accepted to Phillips-Andover Academy where he will attend high school next year, says he is more interested in math and science than geography, but there isn’t really any subject that he does not like.”I prefer math and science, but I have a knack for remembering information,” he said. “There isn’t really a subject that I don’t like. I enjoy learning about the countries and different landmarks.”