If you know the difference between a honey bee and a spelling bee, then it will not take you too long to figure out yet another category of bees that appeal mostly to history buffs and brainiacs: the history bee. 

Sixth-grade students Dylan Rivera and Tanner Haney represented Lake Air Intermediate at the History Channel's Middle School Regional National History Bee Competition last month in Abbott.  The students each had to complete a multiple choice Intramural Bee test and a multiple-choice online regional qualifying exam to advance to the buzzer-based Regional Bee where they competed against other students from the central Texas area.

“Both students did extremely well,” said Dr. Sherry Mullins, GT/Pre-AP Social Studies Teacher at Lake Air Intermediate, “however, keep in mind these are sixth-graders competing against mostly eighth-graders.”

Dylan advanced to become one of only two finalists in the competition.  He was ultimately defeated by an eighth-grader who won an all-expenses paid trip to Washington D.C. to appear on the History Channel’s Middle School History Bee. 

“We are so proud of Dylan,” Mullins said.  “Tanner did well, but, again, they were competing against seventh- and eighth-graders, so we were amazed at Dylan's being a finalist.” 

Mullins said that the boys are already talking about competing in the Bee next year.  Going as seventh-graders next year with a year of experience under their belts should put them at a competitive advantage. 

Lake Air Intermediate Principal, Dr. Bill Shepard, accompanied the history buffs along with Dr. Mullins to the regional competition in Abbott, and Dylan received a nice plaque as finalist.