The Girl Who Knows Where

Sofia Frohna could be considered the girl who knows where in the world it's at. The 13-year-old seventh-grader at Culver City Middle School recently won a place in the state Geo Bee. The April 1 competition has students answer questions about geography and history rather than spell words.

"We take a qualifying test and the top 100 scores get to go to state," she explained.

Those are the top 100 qualifying scores from middle schools around the state of California.

Frohna said that she got involved in the competition last year, but did not qualify for state.

"I heard about it, so I just signed up," she said. "I did pretty well last year. I got second place [at her school]."

Geography and history have always been an interest since she was little, she said, with her favorite periods being Ancient Greece and Rome. That being said, she's still not sure how or even if her interest in these areas are going to follow her into a career when she's an adult.

"I'm not sure," she said about her future plans. "I like just knowing things, so that helps. But I don't really know what I'm going to do."

She said that she studies anywhere from an hour to two hours a day.

"I have two large maps in my kitchen. We have these books," she said. The reading is important, but the maps are, too. "I just stare at maps a lot."

Being good at geography also makes world events  a little more real.

"They stand out more to me," she said about events, such as the recent earthquake in Japan or the unrest in Libya. "It's something that's happening. That helps me realize where they are, what kind of country it is."

The continent of Africa is the most difficult area for her - it has the most countries and most diverse geographical features - while Asia is the easiest.

"I'm not sure why. I just think it is," she said.