Today, a Brookings 6th Grader represented South Dakota at the National Geography Bee. Though Alex Kimn didn't make it into the top 10 finalists, he's already done his state proud.

Pictures courtesy of the Brookings Register, show 11 year old Alex Kimn preparing for the national Geography Bee, which was held in Washington, D.C today. In Brookings, his home room teacher at Mickelson Middle School says Alex has worked hard for the honor.
Sherry Gullickson says, "Any moment that he has, he's got his nose in a book and he studied a lot for this, I know."

Alex's teachers say he's a delight to have in the classroom, and it seems the young man excels at several subjects. He won both the State Geography Bee and the State Mathcounts Contest, which qualified him for national competitions. Gullickson says, "He is so well-liked that we were all so excited for him. The kids just cheered him on and were so excited for him when he left for his trip."

With such a bright start, his teachers say Alex could go just about anywhere from here. But for now, they're just glad to see his smiling face at Mickelson Middle School. Jason Stangeland, Alex's Algebra teacher, says, "He's also just one of the most polite young men that you could ever meet, so the door's wide open, as far as what he might do, what he might accomplish."

Even though Alex is in the 6th Grade, he's already taking 8th Grade Algebra. His teacher says Alex does math problems when he's nervous as a way to calm down.