Marian Catholic senior James Ostergaard will be seeking his second Citizen Bee crown when he competes with 26 other students representing eight other high schools in the 20th Times News Citizen Bee April 24 at the Carbon County Courthouse.

Ostergaard is actually part of a veteran team from Marian. Teammates Michael McHale and Mason Williams, both seniors, also participated in last year's Citizen Bee.The bee is an educational outreach program sponsored by The Times News.Citizen Bee contestants participate individually, first completing a 30-minute written exam followed by five rounds of oral questions. Cash prizes of $300, $200, $100 and $100 will be presented.The competition tests participants' knowledge of U.S. history, economics, geography, Pa. studies, local history and current events. This year's participants range from freshmen to seniors.At one time, the Citizen Bee involved local, state and national competitions. When the national and state competitions disappeared, Times News publisher Fred Masenheimer decided to continue the local competition.Each school is allowed three contestants and one alternate who may participate if one of the other three cannot attend.Last year's winners were Ostergaard from Marian, Dylan Andrew from Lehighton, Tyler Butkus from Tamaqua, and Michael McHale from Marian.The public is invited to attend.Registration begins at 6 p.m. The written exam begins at 6:30. The oral round of questions generally begins around 7:15 p.m.Assisting with this year's Citizen Bee are Mary Ruth Taylor, Jeff James and Joseph Riccette, all retired Tamaqua teachers, written exam proctors; District Judge Edward Lewis, Carbon Court Administrator Roberta Brewster, Carbon County Commissioner William O'Gurek and District Judge Steve Bayer, competition judges; Times News editor Marta Gouger, timekeeper; retired Tamaqua teacher Drusilla Laughman, moderator; and Times News staff member Amy Miller, scorekeeper.The local Citizen Bee is coordinated by George Taylor, editor of the Bethlehem Press weekly newspaper published by the Times News' Lehigh Valley Press newspaper group.Blue Ridge TV 13 will be recording the competition and airing it on TV13 and Service Electric Channel 90 April 29 at 7 p.m., May 1 at 3:30 p.m. and May 2 at 7 p.m. Service Electric will air the Citizen Bee April 30 at 7 p.m. on TV2 in the Lehigh Valley.