GRAND FORKS, N.D. (AP) _ A North Dakota middle school student is arduously preparing for the National Geographic Bee competition.

The 12-year-old Sean Ness tells WDAZ-TV (http://bit.ly/1JyzKlx ) that he studies two hours every night Monday through Friday and five hours a day during the weekend. He reviews atlases, watches videos and looks up information online.

Sean says his preparation for the competition is difficult and “gets stressful.”

The sixth-grader at Valley Middle School will take on 54 other students from across the country next month at the competition in Washington, D.C.

Sean says his strength is political geography, while his weaknesses are physical geography and topography.

The top prize includes a $50,000 college scholarship, a trip to the Galapagos Islands and a lifetime subscription to the magazine.