Veritas Academy, a preschool through 12th-grade classical Christian school, held its annual History Bee competition on May 3, with fifth-grader Benjamin Bowman of Manor Township emerging victorious after an 18-round competition. Katrina Godfrey, a fourth-grader from New Holland, placed second.

The Veritas Academy History Bee takes two finalists from every class in second through sixth grades for a single-elimination quizzing tournament on world and U.S. history facts spanning nearly 6,000 years. The questions are randomly selected from all the grades' curricula, challenging students to name the years of important world events, identify contributions and accomplishments of influential historical figures, and more.

Second- through sixth-grade students immerse themselves in a different time period each year, beginning with ancient Egypt in second grade, the Greek and Roman civilizations in third grade, the Middle Ages and Renaissance in fourth, early explorers and the birth of America in fifth, and through modern America and the Western world today in sixth grade. Students memorize 160 key events in history, beginning with creation, noted Bruce Etter, academic dean of Veritas Academy. History learning includes the use of songs, chants, and motions. By giving younger students a foundation in the basic facts of history at a phase when they excel at memorization, the school aims to equip them to unpack those facts and look deeper into the ideas and issues that have shaped the nations and U.S. culture when they get into middle and high school.