Student geography whizzes across Texas will test their skills Friday in the state National Geographic Bee.

This year, 38 of the participants hail from North Texas. And like last year, boys dominate the field. Only eight girls made the cut for the state bee.

Since the first National Geographic Bee in 1989, millions of students have competed each year for the top prize, a $25,000 scholarship.

The process starts with a written test given by geography teachers. Students in grades four through eight are eligible.

Up to 100 of the highest scorers then advance to the state Bee.

Pat Hardy, a member of the State Board of Education, has served as coordinator of the Texas Bee for 20 years.

“We started at Texas Christian University, but for the past five or six years, the Hurst-Euless-Bedford school district has been gracious in hosting us,” said Ms. Hardy, who also works part-time for the Weatherford school district.

The preliminary round involves five groups of 20 students competing in separate rooms.

“Sometimes it can take a while if we need to do tie-breakers,” said Marci Smith Deal, K-12 social studies coordinator for the HEB school district.

The 10 students with the highest scores advance to the final round, which is held in front of an audience in the auditorium at the Pat May Center in Bedford.

Cheryl Farrell, a roving correspondent of the Jeopardy Clue Crew, will moderate the final round, which is scheduled to start about 11:45 a.m.

The winner of each state Bee receives $100 and a trip to Washington, D.C., for the national Bee on May 20 and 21.

Peyton Lambert, Greenhill School

BEDFORD

Alex Arlinghaus, Bedford Junior High

COLLEYVILLE

John Ward, Heritage Middle

DALLAS

Russ Allton, Lakehill Preparatory

Noah Barron, St. Patrick School

Nicholas Buckenham, St. Mark’s School of Texas

Jordan Cope, Ann and Nate Levine Academy

Charlie Patrick, Christ the King School

Will Patterson, St. John’s Episcopal School

Michael Pepe, Highland Park Middle

Monica Thieu, The Hockaday School

DENTON

Christian Luke, Immaculate Conception School

DUNCANVILLE

David Daniels, Byrd Middle

FLOWER MOUND

Joseph Martin, Lamar Middle

Jackson Nagle, Shadow Ridge Middle

Faduma Nur, Forestwood Middle

Drake Sanderson, McKamy Middle

FORT WORTH

Jack Bellomy, St. Andrew Catholic School

William Nober, Fort Worth Country Day School

GRANBURY

Joshua Cutler, Acton Middle

GRAND PRAIRIE

Thomas Bowen, John Adams Middle

GRAPEVINE

Will Szendrey, Grapevine Middle

HIGHLAND VILLAGE

Nathan Burmeister, Briarhill Middle

IRVING

Ankit Sharma, The North Hills School

Joel Sam, Lamar Middle

KELLER

Hunter Hampton, Mansfield Homeschoolers

LEWISVILLE

Alexander Moe, Castle Hills Elementary

Logan White, Hedrick Middle

MANSFIELD

Kelsey Morris, Wester Middle

MURPHY

Jonas Lilieholm, Murphy Middle

NORTH RICHLAND HILLS

Nicholas Penner, North Ridge Middle

PLANO

Logan Crossley, Rice Middle

Darien Lee, Haggard Middle

Ahneesh Mohanty, Mathews Elementary

SOUTHLAKE

Arvind Venkataraman, Dawson Middle

THE COLONY

Eric Yang, Griffin Middle

WEATHERFORD

Benjamin Brinkmann, Austin Elementary

Matthew Thomas, Mary Martin Elementary