Isle student in finals in
National Geographic Bee

The sixth-grader has correctly
answered all questions so far

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Star-Bulletin staff

COURTESY PHOTO Eric Liaw: The Punahou student correctly answered all questions in preliminary round

Punahou sixth-grader Eric Liaw advanced to today's finals of the 2004 National Geographic Bee in Washington, D.C., after answering every question correctly in the preliminary round yesterday.

"I feel happy that I won, but am a bit nervous going into the final rounds," said Liaw, 12, one of 10 finalists.

He competed against 54 other students, aged 10 to 15, yesterday.

"I'm very excited for Eric," said social studies teacher John Saporito. "He stayed calm and answered some difficult questions very well."

Liaw also represented Hawaii in the 2003 National Geographic Bee. Contestants answer questions relating to cultural, physical, economic and political geography; exotic species; and geography of current events.

Unlike the Spelling Bee, contestants do not receive a prepared list of questions for the Geographic Bee.