WASHINGTON (AP) – A 13-year-old boy from Minnesota who is home-schooled won the 2005 National Geographic Bee on Wednesday.

Nathaniel Cornelius beat out young people from across the nation to win a $25,000 college scholarship. He is the son of Craig and Michele Cornelius.

The winning question: “Lake Gatun, an artificial lake that constitutes part of the Panama Canal system, was created by damming which river?”

The answer: Chagres River.

Cornelius, of Cottonwood, represented the Marshall Area Home Educators Association. In addition to knowing his way around, he plays piano and classical guitar and enjoys photography. He also represented Minnesota in the 2003 and 2004 National Geographic Bees.

Runner-up was Karan Takhar, 14, an 8th grader at Gordon School in East Providence, R.I.

He receives a $15,000 college scholarship. He also represented his home state in the last two geography bees and is the son of Amrita and G.S. Takhar.

“I’m really proud of how I did … I’m really happy with second,” Karan Takhar said.

Third place and a $10,000 scholarship went to Samuel Brandt, son of Jonathan and Sara Brandt, and an 8th grade student at Roosevelt Middle School in Eugene, Ore. Brandt represented Oregon in the 2003 and 2004 bees.