Home state: Michigan

Grade level: Eighth

After finishing in fourth place in 1992, Noel Erinjeri came back to win in 1993. That summer, he was captain of the United States team that won the Society’s first International Geography Olympiad, held in London.

“I became interested in geography when I was a little kid. My grandparents were living in India, and my parents showed me where they were,” Noel explains. He adds, “My father has traveled extensively and has regaled me with tales of his adventures.” Noel experienced his own adventure after winning the Bee. As part of his prize, he was awarded a cross-country train trip from Michigan to San Francisco. “The scenery was incredible, especially passing through the mountains and deserts of the West,” he says.

Today, Noel is a high school senior. He is on the tennis and Quiz Bowl teams and a member of the National Honor Society. After finishing high school, he plans to attend college and would like to become a doctor.

What advice does Noel give on preparing for the Bee? “If you’re really serious about studying, read the newspaper, skim some geography texts, and read NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC and [the Society’s other] publications, but don’t overdo it. You will go insane.”

Winning Question:

Tagalog is one of the three main native languages of which island country in Asia?

Answer: Philippines

         Photograph by Mark Thiessen