Old Rochester Regional Junior High School seventh-grader Dante Cusolito has been named a 2015 Massachusetts National Geographic State Bee semifinalist and is now headed to the state championship to compete for the chance to attend the national competition in Washington, D.C. against the top geography bee contestants in the country.
After winning a classroom round and a school-wide round, Dante took a written qualifying test taken by well over 300 Massachusetts students, and was one of 100 of them who knows their geography well enough to make it to the next step – the state championship at Worcester Academy on March 27.
Dante is playing it cool when it comes to being number one in geography in his school, since geography is just something he has always been interested in. His mother, Michelle Cusolito, said her son has been interested in geography since he was very young, and his ability to remember and visualize where places are in the world comes naturally to him.
This geography bee, said Ms. Cusolito, is “right in line with him as a person” and, of course, she is thrilled for him and his accomplishment.
“I do enjoy geography, and I read a lot,” said Dante. “At the dinner table, my family often takes out a globe or an atlas when we’re talking about the news and other things.”
Ms. Cusolito said when she was in high school, she was a foreign exchange student and over the years her family had hosted several foreign exchange students. The family often interacts with people from all over the world, having recently attended a party with guests from places like Turkey, China, and France. Dante has opportunities to learn from a wide variety of people, said his mother, and his family shares its knowledge with him who, clearly, is eager to listen.
How does Dante feel about advancing toward the semifinals?
“I feel kind of nervous because, when I’m under pressure, I forget things,” he said.
Ms. Cusolito said she would rather her son did not spend any extra time studying for the competition because, “If he wins, that’s great,” she said. “If he doesn’t win, that’s also just fine because he’s doing something that he likes to do.”
Aside from geography, Dante also likes math and enjoys science in school. He also takes guitar lessons and plays in the school jazz band.
If Dante wins the state semifinals and advances to the national competition, he will compete for some pretty sweet prizes. A $50,000 college scholarship, a lifetime membership to the National Geographic Society, and … an all-expenses paid trip for him and one of his parents to travel to the Galapagos Islands. Which leads us to wonder, which parent would he choose to bring with him?
“I don’t think I’m going to make it that far,” said Cusolito. “But if I did, I wouldn’t be able to choose.”
When you see Dante Cusolito in the days leading up to the semifinals, feel free to congratulate him on his accomplishment and wish him good luck on March 27!
For more information about the National Geographic Bee, visit www.nationalgeographic.com/geobee.
By Jean Perry
