Knowing ‘La Nina’ Is Cool Way to Win Geography Bee

David Beihl on Wednesday became the first home-schooled student to win the National Geography Bee, attributing his success to “study and prayer”--and perhaps a little knowledge of the weather.

Beihl, 13, of Saluda, S.C., correctly answered that “La Nina” is the Spanish name for the weather condition characterized by unusually cold ocean temperatures in the equatorial region of the eastern Pacific Ocean.

“I’ve had lots of time to study. My schedule is more flexible than some other schools’,” said Beihl, taught at home since kindergarten. He outlasted Jason Borschow, a 13-year-old eighth-grader at St. John’s School in Condado, Puerto Rico.

Borschow answered “El Nino” to the weather question in the championship round of the National Geographic Society’s nationwide competition. However, that term characterizes warm weather conditions, said moderator Alex Trebek, host of the television game show “Jeopardy.”

“You have to be calm and not blurt the answer out. You have to take your time and consider all the possibilities,” said Borschow, a third-time finalist who admits that in the end he did not follow his own advice.

Borschow and Beihl were returning participants in the annual competition. They were among the 10 finalists Wednesday. The field was narrowed from 55 on Tuesday at the society’s Washington headquarters. More than 5 million fourth- to eighth-graders competed earlier this year in each state, the District of Columbia, Department of Defense schools and each of the five U.S. territories.

Beihl got a $25,000 scholarship from the society and a seven-day trip to Sydney, Australia, from corporate sponsor Bank One.

Borschow got a $15,000 scholarship for second place.