The 26th National Geographic Bee was held in Washington, D.C., on May 21, 2014, sponsored by the National Geographic Society. Soledad O'Brien hosted this event for the first time, replacing Alex Trebek.
Eighth-grader Akhil Rekulapelli, from Loudoun County, Virginia, won the competition, beating out 52 other competitors representing the 50 U.S. states, Pacific territories, and Department of Defense dependent schools.
In 2014, a record number of 9 perfect scores in the national preliminary competition was recorded. As a result, a sudden-death tiebreaker took place between 8 state representatives including contestants from Alabama, Utah, Texas, Maryland, Virginia, Illinois and Washington.
Akhil Rekulapelli, the 2014 National Geographic Bee Champion, received a $50,000 scholarship, a lifetime membership to the National Geographic Society, and a trip for 2 to the Galapagos Islands. Ameya Mujumdar, the second-place finisher received $25,000. Tuvya Bergson-Michelson, the third-place finisher received $10,000, and Pranit Nanda, the fourth-place finisher, received $1,000. Other top ten finishers received $500.
2014 state representatives State Name School City/Town Grade PlaceChristian GonzalezHuntsville Area Home EducatorsHarvest8thJ. Gray HarverKodiak Middle SchoolKodiak8thAri MehtaDesert Cove E.S.Phoenix6thChristian BoekhoutHot Springs Intermediate SchoolHot Springs8th Atlantic TerritoriesJael KingAlfredo Andrews SchoolSt. Croix6thTuvya Bergson-MichelsonThe Nueva SchoolSan Carlos7th3rd PlacePranit NandaAurora Quest K-8Aurora8th4th PlaceJimena PhippsMiddlesex Middle SchoolDarien6th Sohan ShahThe Independence SchoolNewark8th Department of DefensePatrick LewallenRyukyu Middle SchoolJapan8thQuentin PowersSt. Anselm's Abbey SchoolDistrict of Columbia8thAmeya MujumdarTurner Elementary SchoolTampa5th2nd PlaceAnsel AhabueTrickum Middle SchoolLilburn8th 8th Place (tie)Mika IshiiKaimuki Middle SchoolHonolulu6thAmrit SinghGrangeville Elementary/Middle SchoolGrangeville8thMantra DaveChiddix Jr. High SchoolNormal6thSean IvesTrinity Lutheran SchoolCrown Point8thShirlin KingstonAmes Homeschool Assistance ProgramAmes5thChinmay PatilCalifornia Trail Middle SchoolOlathe6thNikhil KrishnaCorbin Middle SchoolCorbin8thBenjamin LinkSt. Andrew's Episcopal SchoolNew Orleans8th Vincent FalardeauSaco Middle SchoolSaco8thAbhinav KarthikeyanClearspring Elementary SchoolDamascus5thNicholas Rommel Diamond Middle SchoolLexington7th 8th Place (tie)Philip HuangWashtenaw County Home Educators Ann Arbor8thLucas EggersHennepin County HomeschoolEden Prairie6thVictoria GongSt. AloysiusVicksburg7thEvan HenselWentzville Middle SchoolWentzville8thJesse ZhangTarget Range SchoolMissoula8thBrendan PenningtonPrairie Lane Elementary SchoolOmaha5thBenjamin HandHyde Park Middle SchoolLas Vegas8thKevin OwensRoss A. Lurgio Middle SchoolBedford7thCharles MillsTrinity Christian SchoolMontville7thGabriel CuneoShepherd LutheranAlbuquerque8thGabriel StrausCollegiate School for BoysManhattan8thSravya KuchibhotlaDavis Drive Middle SchoolCary7thErik JohnsonBismarck Mandan Home EducatorsBismarck8thKyle YuLee Burneson Middle SchoolWestlake8th 6th Place Aniket DehardraiWhittier Middle SchoolNorman8thTor ParsonsRoosevelt Middle SchoolEugene7th Pacific TerritoriesAlex EaganPacific Horizons SchoolPago Pago6thRamya MuthukrishnanE.N. Pierce Middle SchoolWest Chester8thMaxwell LevineWheeler SchoolProvidence8th 8th Place (tie)Krish PatelPinewood Preparatory SchoolSummerville8th 5th PlaceBridger GordonSturgis Williams Middle SchoolSturgis8thChristopher DamonMeigs Middle Magnet SchoolNashville8thBenjamin BenjadolCentral Junior High SchoolEuless7thGauri GargBear River Charter SchoolLogan7thNicholas NortonEssex Middle SchoolEssex Junction8thAkhil RekulapelliStone Hill Middle SchoolAshburn8th2014 National ChampionAndrew MaThe Evergreen SchoolShoreline8thAndrew ChristySt. Francis Central Catholic SchoolMorgantown8thAsha JainMHLT Elementary SchoolMinocqua8th 7th PlaceDegory DayAspen Elementary SchoolEvanston5th
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