MONROE - From an early age, Avery Erb has displayed a knack for picking up on her surroundings.
It's a skill that has helped her advance to her second National Geographic state geography bee by the age of 13.
As a 3-year-old, Avery, now in the eighth grade at Monroe Middle School, surprised her parents Bob and Wendy Erb of Monroe on a car ride through the Milwaukee area.
At first, it seemed she was reciting basic signs like "stop," but Wendy soon realized she actually was reading a billboard.
"She's just always kind of been that way. She just really has a curiosity," Wendy said.
Avery will be competing Friday in the state geography bee at the American Family Building in Madison.
Doing the math, one might wonder how, two years after competing as a fifth grader, she is competing in the eighth grade - Avery skipped the sixth grade.
Avery will be up against about 100 children, some of whom, she learned after competing in 2007 as a fifth-grader, spent hours each day studying - some with coaches.
Michele Mars, Avery's teacher in the gifted and talented program, noticed in the December school geography bee Avery could do well at the state competition.
"The answers just come to her and it's just jaw dropping," Mars said.
After the Middle School bee, Avery took a test required by National Geographic and qualified for the state bee, Mars said.
Avery will be competing to advance through several rounds, each round made up of groups of 10 to 20 kids answering geographical questions. The top few from each group then move on to another round, before finalists answer questions in front of an audience, Wendy said.
The winner then would advance to the national competition in Washington, D.C., in May, Avery said.
Though Avery lost in the earlier rounds of the 2007 competition, she learned from it; just like she has her entire life, Wendy said.
Her first experience also showed her that natural intuition can only take you so far in competition, Avery said.
"The first time (showed) how good some of the kids are," she said.
This year, she has started training like her counterparts; she has studied geography books, played online games and even put effort into remembering references in novels, Avery said, in an attempt to get a leg up on the competition.
"It's a really fun thing," she said.
Beyond competing, the research and practice for the bee is fueling what Wendy called Avery's natural curiosity, Avery said.
"Knowledge stays with you. I have learned so much; the world is so much more amazing," she said.
It's a skill that has helped her advance to her second National Geographic state geography bee by the age of 13.
As a 3-year-old, Avery, now in the eighth grade at Monroe Middle School, surprised her parents Bob and Wendy Erb of Monroe on a car ride through the Milwaukee area.
At first, it seemed she was reciting basic signs like "stop," but Wendy soon realized she actually was reading a billboard.
"She's just always kind of been that way. She just really has a curiosity," Wendy said.
Avery will be competing Friday in the state geography bee at the American Family Building in Madison.
Doing the math, one might wonder how, two years after competing as a fifth grader, she is competing in the eighth grade - Avery skipped the sixth grade.
Avery will be up against about 100 children, some of whom, she learned after competing in 2007 as a fifth-grader, spent hours each day studying - some with coaches.
Michele Mars, Avery's teacher in the gifted and talented program, noticed in the December school geography bee Avery could do well at the state competition.
"The answers just come to her and it's just jaw dropping," Mars said.
After the Middle School bee, Avery took a test required by National Geographic and qualified for the state bee, Mars said.
Avery will be competing to advance through several rounds, each round made up of groups of 10 to 20 kids answering geographical questions. The top few from each group then move on to another round, before finalists answer questions in front of an audience, Wendy said.
The winner then would advance to the national competition in Washington, D.C., in May, Avery said.
Though Avery lost in the earlier rounds of the 2007 competition, she learned from it; just like she has her entire life, Wendy said.
Her first experience also showed her that natural intuition can only take you so far in competition, Avery said.
"The first time (showed) how good some of the kids are," she said.
This year, she has started training like her counterparts; she has studied geography books, played online games and even put effort into remembering references in novels, Avery said, in an attempt to get a leg up on the competition.
"It's a really fun thing," she said.
Beyond competing, the research and practice for the bee is fueling what Wendy called Avery's natural curiosity, Avery said.
"Knowledge stays with you. I have learned so much; the world is so much more amazing," she said.