MFL MarMac High School Student Takes Home State Title in AAA Travel Challenge

BURNSVILLE, Minn., April 8 -- Jonathan Specht, a junior from MFL MarMac High School in Monona, will represent Iowa in the AAA Travel High School Challenge, with a chance at a $25,000 college scholarship. Specht matched his travel and geography wits against students from across Iowa to win the state championship and a $1,000 scholarship, and will travel with a chaperone this April to compete in the national finals in Orlando.

Specht, 17, won the state competition by placing among the top five scorers on an online exam, then besting the other finalists on a 40-question written, proctored exam. The exams challenged students' knowledge of U.S. and world geography, with an emphasis on travel and tourist destinations.

The finals will be held from April 24-27 at Universal Orlando and begin with a written elimination exam, followed by a series of game show-style playoffs. The top two teams of three will then compete in a final contest, with winning team members each receiving $25,000 scholarships and runners-up receiving $10,000 each.

"As we move toward an increasingly global economy we must not forget the importance of travel and geographic literacy in educating youth," said Jeff Ogden, president of AAA Minnesota/Iowa. "Students like Jonathan have the kind of travel and geography knowledge that will enable them to succeed in school and later successfully compete with their global peers in the professional world."

Surveys consistently show American students lag behind their global peers in their knowledge of geography and world events. The contest seeks to raise students' interest in geography by focusing on one aspect that captures many students' interest: travel and tourist destinations. As a leader in the travel industry, AAA depends on geography-savvy employees to serve its members and travel agency customers.

The AAA Travel High School Challenge will award $156,000 in scholarships courtesy of the Hogan Family Foundation, a non-profit organization that promotes a greater understanding of the importance of travel and tourism. Additional sponsors include: Continental Airlines, Holland America Line, Marriott, MBNA America, Pleasant Holidays and Universal Orlando.

AAA Minnesota/Iowa, which includes more than 700,000 members, offers automotive, travel, insurance and financial services. It is part of The Auto Club Group (ACG), the largest affiliation of AAA clubs in the Midwest, with 4.1 million members in eight states. ACG clubs belong to the national AAA federation, a not-for-profit organization, with more than 45 million members in the United States and Canada.