By Emmanuel T. Erediano
Variety News Staff

A SEVENTH grader from Marianas Baptist Academy on Friday won the first round of the school-level 2007 National Geography Bee, and will now move to the next qualifying round.
Mark Liban, 13, will be competing with other students from other participating Pacific islands in the state-level competition, according to MBA history teacher Catherine Wheeler.
This is the 19th year that the National Geographic Society is holding the competition for students in the fourth through eight grades in schools across the United States.
Each school champion will take a written examination and the answers will be submitted to the National Geographic Society in Washington, D.C. to determine who will advance to the national level competition to be held in the nation’s capital on May 22 and 23.
The first prize of a $25,000 college scholarship and $500 in cash awaits the champion in the national competition.
The second placer will get a $15,000 college scholarship and $500 in cash, while the third placer will be awarded a $10,000 college scholarship.
Each of the seven runners-up will get $500 cash.
Wheeler said 10 of 38 students made it to the final round during the school-level competition held at MBA’s chapel in Dandan.
The contestants went through 100 questions.
Liban had only one incorrect answer.
Liban said he actually knew that answer but he was nervous and wrote the wrong one.
The school champion is the son of Marshal Liban, a civil engineer, and Lorna Liban, a chemical engineer.
MBA principal Ramino Trinidad said since 1989, five of their students have advanced to the state-level competition.