It must be in the genes! Shira Hornstein won DCD’s annual Geography Bee, which was held on Monday, January 7, joining her brother Sam who won the contest as an Eighth Grader two years ago.

Ten students in Grades Four through Eight participated in this year’s competition. Eighth Grader David Leder was the runner up and Fifth Grader Katherine Holding came in third.

The final determining question asked about the location of a 16th-century Ottoman mosque. 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.

Shira will now join other winners from around the country in taking a statewide test to determine her eligibility for the national exam to be held at National Geographic Headquarters in Washington, D.C. in the spring. The winner of that contest will receive a $25,000 scholarship.

Good luck, Shira!