The tension was thick as 12 fourth-graders at Peter Woodbury School took part in their annual geography bee.

Zak La Roza, the winner of the geography bee, was excited to get his chance in this year’s competition and even more excited to win.

“This is the greatest thing that’s ever happened,” he said. “I’ve been waiting a few years to compete in this and this is my first real first-place trophy of my life.”

This year, the geography bee had a twist. Instead of questions about the entire world, the questions only focused on the United States, and included, “Granite quarries are important to what state?” and, “What state borders Tennessee to the north?”

“Focusing on the United States gives the student a lifting board to fifth-grade curriculum,” said Kristin Possee, SEED teacher.

Each fourth-grade class held preliminary geography bees and sent the two winning students from each to the school bee. After three rounds of questions in the school bee, contestants were eliminated until only two remained.

The other finalist was Andrew Monkern, who answered all questions correctly in the first round and got a free pass to the finals.

Zak’s father, Greg, was happy to see his son win.

“He studied a lot and it got to the point where either he would know it or he wouldn’t, and he did,” he said.

Tina Morshead, whose daughter, Carolyn, is her third child to compete in a geography bee at Peter Woodbury, thinks it’s a worthwhile experience for the school and students.

“It’s great to see what the children are learning in a setting like this,” she said. “It’s pretty awesome.”

During the second round of the geography bee, students answered questions regarding unemployment rates by state in America.

Prathik Ravel said it was his first geography bee.

“I’ve only seen competitions like this on television,” he said. “It’s even more exciting being in one myself.”

Possee was proud of everyone who competed.

“They have all worked very hard to get where they are and are all winners,” she said.