Stefan Petrovic is 13 years old, an eighth-grader-to-be at South Middle School and the third-place finisher in the National Geographic Bee — where he picked up a $10,000 college scholarship and praise from a guy who knows a thing or two about learning in the Lawrence school district: Google executive Brian McClendon, a 1982 graduate of Lawrence High School.

photo by: Becky Hale/National Geographic Society

Talk about Lions pride: Stefan Petrovic, who plans to attend Lawrence High School in 2012-13, shares the stage with LHS alum Brian McClendon, vice president for Google Earth and Maps, after the finals of the National Geographic Bee in Washington, D.C., an event for which the National Geographic Society and Google were sponsors. Petrovic is looking forward to high school, especially now with his Google connection. "It’ll be really fun. I'll know somebody who's already been."

photo by: Becky Hale/National Geographic Society

Stefan Petrovic, who will attend Lawrence High School, smiles alongside fellow check-holder Brian McClendon, an LHS alum who is vice president for Google Earth and Maps, after the finals of the National Geographic Bee in Washington, D.C., an event for which the National Geographic Society and Google were sponsors.

photo by: Becky Hale/National Geographic Society

Stefan Petrovic, who will be an eighth-grader at South Middle School, joins Lawrence High School alum Brian McClendon, vice president for Google Earth and Maps, in holding a $10,000 scholarship check Petrovic won in the National Geographic Bee in Washington, D.C., an event for which the National Geographic Society and Google were sponsors. " ‘Jeopardy!’ host Alex Trebek" is the answer to this question under the "Identities" category: "Who is the other guy on stage, in the gray suit?"

photo by: AP Photo | Pablo Martinez Monsivais

Stefan Petrovic, 13, finished third in the 2011 National Geographic Bee in Washington, D.C., Wednesday, May 25, 2011.

photo by: Becky Hale/National Geographic Society

Poise under pressure: Stefan Petrovic, who will be an eighth-grader at South Middle School, wants to become U.S. secretary of state someday. He had an opportunity to face some national media after finishing third in the National Geographic Bee, conducted Wednesday, May 25, 2011 in Washington, D.C.

photo by: Becky Hale/National Geographic Society

Stefan Petrovic finished third in the National Geographic Bee, and apparently was afforded the opportunity to interview himself afterward.