August 2007 Archives

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In a North American showdown, three Mexican teenagers bested finalists from neighboring Canada and the United States to clutch the National Geographic World Championship title earlier this month.

 Moderated by Jeopardy! host Alex Trebek at Sea World, San Diego, teams of elite geography students, top performers in their own geography competitions from 17 regions endured two days of written exams and head-to-head competition to determine the top three contenders. After making their first ever appearance in the final round, Mexico went on to unseat five-time champion the United States, becoming the first non-English speaking team to win in eight years of tournament history. The young men’s expressions of excitement required no translation: “To win gold, it’s really great” beamed 15-year-old Emanuel Johansen Campos of Tejalpa, Mexico. “I don’t have any words.”

                                  AP Photo/Lenny Ignelzi courtesy of abcnews.com

Johansen’s champion teammates were Captain Angel Aliseda of Guadaljara, 16, and Carlos Franco Ruiz, 14, of Zapotlan de Juarez. The group correctly identified Abu Simbel, an ancient Egyptian archaeological site carved from sandstone ca. 1200 B.C., to finally come out on top. The team prevailed over a  third-place Canadian group of Marky Freeman, 14, Maxim Ralchenko, 13, and Jonathan Whyte, 13, all from Ontario. A trio of 15 year-olds from the United States captured the silver medal: Kelsey Schilperoort of Prescott HS ( Prescott, AZ),  Neeraj Sirdeskmukh of Nashua HS (Nashua, NH) and Matthew Vengali of Grosse Pointe North HS (Grosse Point Shores, MI). 

The standings fell as if in defiance of a 2002 Roper Poll that placed the three nations among the bottom third in a pool of nine countries surveyed on geographic literacy. This time around, the rankings were literally turned upside down as the ninth, eighth, and seventh countries in the 2002 study finished first, second, and third overall at the 2007 World Championships. The results give credence to convictions held by My Wonderful World.org: That determined students have extraordinary potential for success, and that it is essential to bring global knowledge--and the opportunities that come along with it—to each and every young learner.

Our congratulations go out to all participants for their impressive accomplishments. We hope their success will inspire others to care about the planet and support the cause for geography education!

To read more about the World Championships, check out the following news articles from SignOnSanDiego.com, National Geographic Commuications, and ABCnews. And be sure not to miss these stories from the International Herald Tribune and Australia's  Herald Sun  for international coverage of the event.

To learn more about the U.S. National Geographic Bee and enter for a chance to compete in the International World Championship event, visit the National Geographic Bee homepage. 

Sarah for My Wonderful World

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“Shaken blueberry-white iced-tea?” asked a young woman with green apron and pleasant smile as she extended her hand to present me with a small disposable plastic cup. Starbucks was hosting a “Day of Discussion” addressing “Solutions to Climate Change.” I accepted the refreshing tea, bit my tongue at the irony of the environmentally-unfriendly vessel it came in, and focused on the value of the event to occur that evening.

Image courtesy of www.starbucks.com

By the time the activities commenced at 6pm, a group of about 20 folks had gathered. To get us ready for deep discussion after a full day at the office, we began with a “coffee tasting.” This time, Starbucks impressed me by serving coffee of the Organic Shade Grown Mexico variety served in miniature—reusable—mugs, along with some delicious crumb cake that tasted like a leavened orange creamsicle. As I slurped amidst instructions to “experience the nutty undertones” (my fellow intern Veena and I agreed the ‘notes’ were more ‘coffee- bean-y’), I was largely unaware that the iced-tea/plastic, shade-grown/ceramic paradox would be emblematic of the discussion to ensue.

The topic for the forum was “individual action,” a brainstorming session of steps each person can take to reduce their energy consumption and personal share of the carbon footprint.

Though our cheery moderator from the Cool Capital Challenge encouraged a positive attitude with phrases like “No defeatism or fatalism!” and “Today we’re adopting an American, can-do approach,” many were quick to hop on political soapboxes. The first to speak challenged Veena and I to clarify National Geographic’s position on climate change. Another argued for nuclear power and told of the program “No Kidding,” which would compensate Americans who chose not to procreate.

Others offered some useful tips and insights. An energy consultant advocated for replacing incandescent light bulbs with fluorescents, and opening windows in the spring and fall rather than relying on air conditioning. Almost all agreed to the benefits of public transportation and praised Washington DC’s metro system.

The discussion comments ran the gamut from incredibly passionate, and occasionally misdirected, to practical and mindful. I realized that the conversation in many instances reflected both an honest attempt to reconcile conflicting information and a genuine lack of knowledge about the environmental issues.

Toward the end of the evening a critical question was posed: “What can we do to inspire young people to take action?” As all heads literally turned to me and Veena (the only people in the room under thirty), I responded in the true spirit of a My Wonderful World geography intern: “Education. Kids need to learn the science and importance of the world around them to become conscious, engaged adults.”

So thank you Starbucks and partners Earthwatch Institute, the Climate Group, Earth Day Network, Global Green USA, Conservation International and especially the Cool Capital Challenge for hosting this illuminating “Day of Discussion.” As the last hours of sunlight faded, I walked out of the café with a free book, (John and Teresa Heinz Kerry’s This Moment on Earth) tickets to Arctic Tale some great energy saving tips and my belief in the power of education and global knowledge reaffirmed.

To learn more about these issues check out green.nationalgeographic.com, www.grist.org (one of my all-time favorites), www.realclimate.org, www.coolcapitalchallenge.org, www.theclimategroup.org, www.treehugger.com, www.conservation.org, www.earthday.net, www.earthwatch.org, www.globalgreen.org, and don’t forget to go see Arctic Tale!

If you attended the “Day of Discussion” at a Starbucks store near you, we want to hear about it! What kinds of personal action steps did you talk about?

Sarah, My Wonderful World intern

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Ah summer, when the extended daylight and warm temperatures demand you to leave your desk and your home in favor of carefree vacation days, hopefully in new places.
For me, summertime led me to the bayou of Mississippi, the Outer Banks of North Carolina, and to the parks within the five block radius of National Geographic headquarters in Washington, DC. (Extended lunch hour = mini vacation!)
Tell us, where did you go this summer? Who did you meet? What sites did you see? What interesting places did you visit and how are they different from your home town?

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On Wednesday, August 15th, Starbucks will be hosting an event titled “National Day of Discussion: Solutions to Climate Change.” At coffee shops across the country, climate experts will sit down with members of their communities in a forum sponsored by Starbucks, Conservation International, the Earthwatch Institute, and other well-known environmental groups. The stated objective: “To host an engaging dialogue and help people collectively develop solutions that they can use in their communities and daily lives.”

Withholding my skepticism that the climate crisis can be “solved” in a day beneath the green awnings of the ubiquitous vendor (no matter how auspicious the color palette may seem), I plan to walk--not drive--to the local Starbucks on Washington D.C.’s Connecticut Avenue to join in the debate. If you’re in town, look for me donning a My Wonderful World t-shirt during what promises to be an evening of free-flowing conversation and java. Check out Starbucks.com for more information on the event and listings of store locations in your area. And look for my special report of the proceedings to appear on Thursday’s edition of the blog.

The "Day of Discussion" has been strategically arranged to coincide with the nationwide release of National Geographic’s new feature film Arctic Tale, which Starbucks is helping promote. The movie is likely to be on the agenda for discussion, especially in DC where it has already been showing for a few weeks. Go see it at a theater near you and form your own impressions, then check out July's post for this intern’s reactions.

Image courtesy of National Geographic books.

We’d love to hear your reviews of the film!

Many have compared it to Al Gore’s successful documentary, An Inconvenient Truth. Some feel that Arctic Tale could have an even greater influence on public opinion in light of its entertaining format, appeal to a broad audience, subtle style of message delivery, and widely respected source.

What do you think? What are some other things that can be done, or that you are currently doing, to inspire people to care about the planet and reduce their impact on the environment?

Sarah, My Wonderful World Intern

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                                      photo by John Aronson

Spend an exhausting morning chasing some of the nation’s most elite college athletes around a basketball court, and you’ll most likely be hankering for a little grub. But if you’re a participant at George Mason University Coach Jim Larranga’s summer camp, you have to answer a geography question first. Can you name the smallest continent? If you thought Australia like me, the abashed geography major, you’d have to wait for your slice of pizza (correct answer: Europe).

A few weeks ago the team at My Wonderful World traveled to George Mason University,  where we saw one of Coach "L’s" quizzes in action. An inspiring scene emerged as a sea of kids in Air Jordans (fun fact: Michael Jordan majored in geography!) thrust their hands into the air to answer geography questions.

A self-described geography buff, Coach L has been administering quizzes at his basketball camps for years. But it wasn’t until the media blitz surrounding Mason’s road to the 2006 NCAA Tournament Final Four that Dr. Allan Falconer, chair of GMU’s geography department, learned of the activities occurring in the field house just next door. A British native who describes himself as more of a “scholar” than an “athlete,” Dr. Falconer recognized the unique opportunity before him and promptly rang Coach L suggesting a collaboration. The unassuming coach and infectiously enthusiastic professor teamed up to develop a remarkable product: the World Ball.

The two enlisted the assistance of National Geographic’s expert cartographers to create a combination basketball-globe: a fully regulation, rubber-covered sphere with the continents painted to scale on the surface. Last Wednesday, Coach L distributed the balls to eager campers who had gained skills on the court and on the map.

During My Wonderful World’s visit to campus, we had a few minutes to chat with Coach L and Dr. Falconer about potential activities with the World Ball. We are excited to continue to work with these dynamic leaders to help give kids the power of global knowledge!

To read more about the World Ball, check out these articles appearing in the Washington Post and the GMU Gazette.

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Last month we presented a special summer reading challenge, asking for recommendations of books and movies with an international context. Thanks to all those who contributed, and congratulations to our winners! Ashley from New Braunfels, TX suggested two books about Asia--Reading Lolita in Tehran (Iran) and Kite Runner (Afghanistan). Maggie of Litchfield Park, AZ posted the first submission for Europe with the book Round Ireland with a Fridge. And Kevin of Slinger, WI told us about an Australian classic: Daisy Bates in the Desert: A Woman's Life among the Aborigines. Ashley, Maggie, and Kevin will each be receiving a My Wonderful World "We are Not Alone" poster in the mail. Be sure to check out these great reads during the dog days of summer!

Want to win a poster of your own? We're still looking for submissions relating to the continents of South America, Antarctica, and Africa. So tell us: what are your favorite books and movies?

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Looking for a fun way to learn to locate the states?
When I was younger, I had a puzzle of the 50 states that I used to put together. But I think I've found a game that's even more enjoyable: Statetris!

A throwback to one of the most popular video games of my youth, "Statetris" (State + Tetris= Statetris) works just like the classic. States fly down from the top of the screen and players use arrow keys to direct them to their appropriate positions. Sound easy? Difficulty increases from "easy" levels in which state polygons are labeled by name and creep sluggishly down the screen in their 'correct' orientation (I can't vouch for the accuracy of the projection for all those cartographers!) to "hard" levels in which polygons lack identification and rotate through 360 degrees. Considering that 50% of recent high school graduates in the U.S. can't locate the prominent state of New York on a map (as indicated by the 2006 Roper Poll ), maybe they should play this game! The one downside: the map is limited to the 48 geographically contiguous states (sorry Hawaii and Alaska).

If I was drawn to mapmsg.com by Statetris...I stayed for the other awesome, higher-tech features. Want to impress your friends? Send them a message via smoke signal. Traveling home for a weekend visit, I used the "Google Map" search feature to locate my house. Then, I typed in a greeting: "Hi Mom & Dad! Can't wait to see you!" The result: a message in smoke signals--appearing to emanate from my own chimney--was sent to my parents over email.

Another cool feature: A tool that enables you to immortalize your friends by creating a picture with their mug atop a famous U.S. monument. It's as easy as uploading a personal picture and using some simple zooming and shifting buttons. Check out the one I created of Washington D.C.'s Lincoln Memorial with the face of actress Queen Latifah, narrator of the new film Arctic Tale.

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