Submitted Photo North Dakota’s Geography Bee finalists, from left, are Dylan Karneh of Fargo, Odin Erickson of Minot, Jacob Krull of Bismarck, Bryson Klimek of Fargo and Joe Myers of Litchville-Marion.

Odin Erickson from Jim Hill Middle School in Minot took second place in the North Dakota Geography Bee held in Bismarck on May 1, according to results released by the North Dakota Geography Alliance, sponsor of the contest.

More than 2,000 sixth-eighth grade students from across the state competed in this year’s event, which began at the school level. The 20 top finishers in the state from the local competitions, with up to two from any single school, advanced to the state-level competition at The Bismarck Public Schools Career and Tech Center.

In addition to Erickson, advancing to state from Minot and Minot Air Force Base schools were Harrison Smith, first, and Taylor Chen, second, from Memorial; Berit Meinert, first, and Layla Bartlett, second, from Erik Ramstad; and Ashton Visocsky, first, and Ava Kleven, second, from Central.

The top five winners in the first round of the state competition advanced to a final round.

Jacob Krull of Shiloh in Bismarck took first place. In addition to Erickson’s second-place finish, winners were: third, Bryson Klimek from Ben Franklin in Fargo; fourth, Joe Myers from Litchville-Marion; and fifth, Dylan Karneh from Discovery in Fargo.