Brandon Goodwin, a seventh grader at Union Middle School, was one of the semifinalists eligible to compete in the 2014 Iowa Geographic Bee. In early January, Brandon won the school-level bee at Union Middle School, where he competed against his fellow 7th and 8th grade classmates. He then took the state qualifying test and was one of the 100 students eligible to compete at the state-level Geography Bee. The 2014 Iowa Geographic Bee was held at Northern Iowa University in Cedar Falls on Friday, April 4, 2014. Students competing in the state bee answered a variety of questions based on national and world geography. Although Brandon did not advance to the national competition, he did represent Union Middle School very well. The state winner received $100, a globe, and a trip to Washington, D.C., where she will represent Iowa in the national finals at the National Geographic Society headquarters, May 19-21, 2014. The national winner will receive a $25, 000 college scholarship.