Jake Polatty is a 12-year-old 7th grader from Narragansett, representing Rhode Island Home Educators, North Kingstown. In March, his Mathcounts team placed 3rd in the state. He’s studying Chinese and Spanish and loves playing on his flag football team, skiing, snowboarding and rock climbing. ➡ Subscribe: http://bit.ly/NatGeoSubscribe About National Geographic: …

Conrad Oberhaus is a 13-year-old 7th grader at Daniel Wright Junior High School in Lincolnshire, a suburb of Chicago. He represented Illinois at the 2012 National Geographic Bee. He has won multiple presidential physical fitness awards and state and national chess awards. He earned a black belt in tae kwon …

Neha Middela is 11 years old and in the 6th grade at Detroit Country Day School in Beverly Hills, north of Detroit. In her free time she likes to doodle, dance, write, eat chocolate and watch TV. Among those she admires is Pakistani school pupil Malala Yousafzai, because she stood …

Abhinav Karthikeyan is a 10-year-old 4th grader at Clearspring Elementary School in Damascus, near Washington, D.C. He’s participated in several chess tournaments, collects state quarters and likes watching news and weather channels and reading. If he could be anyone else, he’d be U.S. president. ➡ Subscribe: http://bit.ly/NatGeoSubscribe About National Geographic: …

Patrick Lewallen is a 13-year-old 7th grader at Ryukyu Middle School in Okinawa, Japan. He’s a member of the National Junior Honor Society and the Order of the Arrow Honor Society of the Boy Scouts. He enjoys football and soccer. The best place he’s been is China; he saw the …

Huy Tran is a 13-year-old 7th grader at Albuquerque Academy in Albuquerque. His team made it to the state level of the Science Olympiad. In his free time he plays computer games and card games and sometimes reads books on microbiology. Among those he admires is President Obama. ➡ Subscribe: …

Jun Chen is a 14-year- old 8th grader at Margaret Green Junior High School in Cleveland, northwest of Jackson. What he likes about geography is learning about people and cultures and how man and nature interact. He’s interested in helping the poor have a better life. The best place he’s …

Alex Conrad is a 13-year-old 7th grader at Valley View Middle School in Edina, near Minneapolis. He has a black belt in karate and a first-class rank in Boy Scouts. He hopes to become a park ranger in Alaska. He enjoys biking, roller blading and hiking. He’d like to visit …

Neelam Sandhu is a 14-year-old 8th grader at Ross A. Lurgio Middle School in Bedford, a suburb of Manchester. She represented New Hampshire at the 2012 National Geographic Bee. She does alpine racing and competitive skiing. She enjoys playing the piano, writing stories and poems, acting and singing. ➡ Subscribe: …

Avi Misra is a 10-year- old 5th grader at Academy Montessori Internationale in Kansas City. He enjoys collecting postage stamps and coins and plays basketball. He’s won several Superior Awards for piano solos. What he likes best about geography is studying different countries and cultures. He hopes to visit Rome. …