Peterson earns $5,000 travel award in Geography contest I ' , ; I "- i E ? & I - . 4 I. " l If Sheri Peterson worked as hard as other competitors in the American Express Geography contest, con-test, she definitely earned her $5,000 travel award. More than 2,600 students between be-tween 6th and 12th grades from 45 states took part in the annual contest designed to encourage creative problem-solving using geographic principles. The seventh-grade Bountiful resident investigated whether or not the Kem River Gas Transmission Company took all necessary precautions precau-tions to protect the environment when building its natural gas pipeline. She concluded . that the project did balance the nation's energy needs with responsible environmental en-vironmental practice. The average winning contestant spent more than 700 hours on their projects which covered topics ranging rang-ing from geography in travel and trade and environmental management manage-ment to geographic patterns of cultural contact and diversity. A student at South Davis Junior High, Peterson interviewed the Bountiful City manager, Bountiful City Council members, environmental envir-onmental groups, pipeline officials and concerned citizens' groups as well as obtained photographs from the company of progress of the pipeline as it was being constructed. Her teacher-coach, Leslie Foy, received a $1,500 travel voucher from American Express for his assistance with Peterson's project. Peterson is the first student from the Davis County School District to win the award. Sheri Peterson received a $5,000 travel award participating in the Express Geography contest. More than 2,600 students between 6th and 12th grades from 45 states took part in the annual contest designed to encourage creative problem-solving problem-solving using geographic principles.