Terence Gardner, an eighth-grader at Andrew Lewis Middle School, left Salem this morning to represent his school at the state Geography Bee at Shenandoah University in Winchester Friday and Saturday, March 30 and 31.

“It was such a great surprise – I’m really excited,” Gardner said. After winning the geography bee at ALMS earlier this spring by knowing where the “Sea of Whales” is (it’s a desert in Egypt!), he filled out the qualifying papers and took a test which qualified him to compete at the state level.

“This is the first time we have had someone get to the state level in about 15 years,” said Principal Forest Jones.

Gardner will compete against about 100 students. The winner of the state competition will represent Virginia in the national competition May 22 and 24 at National Geographic Society’s headquarters in Washington D.C.