Palatine map enthusiast is state Geography Bee champ
Palatine eighth-grader Anton Karpovich loves to study maps, so much so that he admits he used to spend hours a day looking at them when he was younger.
"I don't know, I just find them strangely interesting," said Anton, who attends Walter R. Sundling Junior High School in Palatine. "They're filled with so much information and detail."
Combine his passion for maps with his uncanny memory, and it explains how he won the Illinois State Geography Bee, hosted in April at the Field Museum by the National Geographic Society.
"I was so excited, I was over the moon," Anton said, smiling as he remembers the dramatic moment.
Anton also thinks the fact that he has Asperger's syndrome, a mild form of autism, has helped him be a geography expert.
"I'm proud of it," Anton said. "Social things like people's names and faces don't clutter up my brain, so I can remember all the capitals and things about cities.
"I just see things differently," he added.
His teachers and administrators agree he sees things differently. They also say he is one of the smartest students they've had at the school.
"We've participated in the Geography Bee for years," said Principal Yvette Davidson, "but we've never had a student go this far. We're thrilled."
Anton's state title advances him to the National Geographic Bee on May 25-26 and the chance to win a $25,000 college scholarship. The bee is held at the National Geographic Society headquarters in Washington, D.C.
Sundling history teacher Christopher Dewey will accompany him, along with his parents, Vladimir and Yuliya.
If Anton survives the first day he will compete in the championship round, moderated by "Jeopardy!" host Alex Trebek.
"I'll either be watching it live on (National Geographic Channel) TV," Anton said, "or competing in it."
The Illinois state championship came down to a faceoff between Anton and Jacob Molewyk, an eighth-grader who is home-schooled in Grayslake.
The final question was: "Rotorua is a famous city known for its thermal pools that attract tourists to what country?"
Jacob thought it was Turkey, but Anton knew it was New Zealand.
"It's a big city," he said. "I've seen it on maps before."
Mark Mills, an eighth-grader from Carol Stream who attends St. Michael's School in Wheaton, placed third, and Eric Vanwazer, an eighth-grader from Thomas Middle School in Arlington Heights, finished fourth, even though it was only his first Geography Bee.
Last year's state winner was Siva Gangavarapu of Naperville, who placed seventh at nationals a year ago. He returned this year as an eighth-grader, where he wound up seventh in the state contest.
John Fahey, president and CEO of the National Geographic Society, says its mission is to inspire people to care about the planet.
"Through our Geographic Bee and our other activities, we hope to foster a lifelong passion for learning about other cultures and lands," Fahey said, "and prepare young people to be responsible stewards of our planet."