Home state: South Carolina

This 13-year-old homeschooler from Saluda, west of Columbia, represented South Carolina in 1998 and 1999. His hobbies include playing string bass and piano, and he lists Seyi Fayanju, the 1996 winner, as one of the people he most admires.

In addition to his U.S. $25,000 college scholarship, David also won a lifetime membership in the National Geographic Society.

Winning question: The condition characterized by unusually cold ocean temperature in the equatorial region of the eastern Pacific Ocean is known by what Spanish name?

Answer: La Niña

1999 State and Territory Champions

Alabama
Matthew T. Novak
Tuscaloosa

Alaska
David K. Dunsmore
Anchorage

Arizona
Michael J. Fitzsimmons
Tucson

Arkansas
Jonathan D. VerHoeven
Springdale

California
Brian A. Dumbacher
Temple City

Colorado
Jeffrey J. Marlow
Denver

Connecticut
Felix H. Peng
Guilford

Delaware
Ramsey C. Furse
Lewes

Department of Defense Dependents Schools
James Michael Halterman, Jr.
Japan

District of Columbia
Alexandr Pshenichkin
Washington, D.C.

Florida
David J. Massey
Winter Haven

Georgia
Robert J. Schleifer
Gillsville

Guam
Jason Espiritu
Tamuning

Hawaii
Makena L. Dyer
Kailua

Idaho
Matthew Russell Durrant
Preston

Illinois
Aaron Christopher Burns
Rockford

Indiana
Kellie Packwood
Martinsville

Iowa
Alex Paul Koenigs
Riceville

Kansas
Matthew A. Speise
Kansas City

Kentucky
James Zhang
Lexington

Louisiana
Mark Landreneau
Alexandria

Maine
Gregory Thaler
Yarmouth

Maryland
Zane G. Craig
Emmitsburg

Massachusetts
Kevin Dunn
Winchester

Michigan
Tanveer I. Ali
Flint

Minnesota
Mehmet Ian Kuhner Berker
St. Paul

Mississippi
Ruopeng Zhu
Jackson

Missouri
Mallika Sarah Thampy
Maryland Heights

Montana
William Joseph Levine
Great Falls

Nebraska
Francis Boyd Carnaby
Omaha

Nevada
Peter Guekguezian
Las Vegas

New Hampshire
Jesse M. Baver
Amherst

New Jersey
Vikram R. Modi
Ridgewood

New Mexico
Jedediah S. Drolet
Albuquerque

New York
Michael S. Oh
East Amherst

North Carolina
Edwin C. Smolski
Hendersonville

North Dakota
Patrick Hope
Dickinson

Ohio
Matthew J. Solomon
Elida

Oklahoma
Brett B. Carr
Norman

Oregon
Adam Tadeusz Lis
Portland

Pacific Territories
Jason J. Espiritu
Tamuning

Pennsylvania
Raji Shankar
Havertown

Puerto Rico
Jason Borschow
San Juan

Rhode Island
Adam Lesnikowski
Pawtucket

South Carolina
David Beihl
Saluda

South Dakota
Eric P. Rodawig
North Sioux City

Tennessee
Eric P. Brown
Chattanooga

Texas
Daniel J. Watkins
North Richland Hills

Utah
Daniel B. Blatter
Salt Lake City

Vermont
Sarah J. Solomon
Hyde Park

Virgin Islands
William Dennis Jones, Jr.
St. Thomas

Virginia
Timothy Carr
Luray

Washington
Kyle Q. Haddad-Fonda
Shoreline

West Virginia
Daniel P. Harris
Charleston

Wisconsin
Anthony R. Brylski
Oregon

Wyoming
Ian T. Wallace
Ranchester