Way to Go! Jericho student Richard Zhang
By MICHAEL R. EBERT. read by smRichard Zhang, an eighth-grader at Jericho Middle School, beat 99 students to win first place at the 2010 New York State Geographic Bee in Albany April 9. He will compete at the national level in Washington, D.C., on May 25.. "I've always enjoyed geography," said Zhang, 13, who won a $100 prize and a world atlas. "We're all human, and if we know more about the Earth, it makes us better humans.". To reach the state level, Zhang won at the school level in January and then took a qualifying test that was sent to the National Geographic Society.. To prepare, Zhang said he perused atlases, online maps and lists of the largest cities in various states and countries.. His question was to give the English name for Rapa Nui, and his winning answer was Easter Island.. "I was really nervous, but my friends and family supported me so that gave me motivation," said Zhang, who also plays the violin and is a member of his school's writing club.. The national bee winner receives a $25,000 college scholarship and a lifetime membership to the Geographic Society.. The bee is sponsored by Google and the Plum Creek Foundation, which owns 7 million acres of timberland.michael.ebert@newsday.com.,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,