After being the first runner-up last year, seventh-grader Ross Blinderman of Norwich was named Saint Bernard School’s champion for the National Geographic Bee on Jan. 30.

“It’s really exciting. I feel like I sort of got revenge for last year,” he said in a press release. He spent several hours studying the U.S. map after focusing on world maps last year.

As school champion, Blinderman will take a qualifying test and move onto the state National Geographic Bee on March 31 if he’s in the top 100 in the state.

Eighth-graders Jay Lin and Ryan Proulx came in second and third place, respectively.

The bee is open to students in grades four through eight, with the champions of each state attending the national championship in Washington, D.C., in May.