Valley 8th grader to represent Arizona in national competition

PHOENIX (KSAZ) - A valley student is getting a big honor as he will represent Arizona in the National Geographic Bee.

Explorer Middle School eighth-grader Ari Meta has spent the last 10 months studying for the National Geographic Geography Bee in Washington, D.C.

Recently, he even devoted three hours of every day just to make sure he's ready to go.

He'll use all of this knowledge when he goes up against 54 others, while representing Arizona beginning on Monday.

This isn't the first time Ari's been in the national competition, as he competed in sixth grade, too.

"It was good, it was a good experience, but I feel better prepared this year than I was then," he said.

Going over practice quizzes, world maps and any geography trivia you can imagine, Ari is making his parents and school proud.

The first rounds of the National Geographic Geography Bee are on Monday and if Ari makes it through, he'll advance to the finals on Wednesday.