Preliminary rounds will take place at 1:30 p.m. at the Milo Bail Student Center, with final rounds at 3:30 at the Strauss Performing Arts Building.

Up to 100 fourth- to eighth-grade students from Nebraska will competing for spots in May's national competition to be held May 20 and 21 at National Geographic Society headquarters in Washington, D.C.

Students from Central Nebraska who will be participating in the Geographic Bee include: Alex R. Hunt from Aurora Middle School, Abbey L. Kutlas from Barr Middle School, Karen Huynh from Hawthorne Elementary in Hastings, Michael A. Hollman from Zion Lutheran in Hastings, and Mike P. Tran from St. Cecelia Middle School in Hastings.

The winner of the state competition will receive $100, a National Geographic globe and an all-expenses-paid trip to Washington, D.C., for the national finals and the chance to be crowned National Geographic Bee champion.

The bee is organized by the National Geographic Society. This year's sponsor is Plum Creek.