From May 2010:

How many people in the world can honestly say they have an official day of the year named after them? Freshman Alex Krupp is one person who can. Mr. Alexander Krupp Day was given to him by the government of Dekalb County for winning the 2008 State Geography Bee when he was in the seventh grade. In addition to the day, he also received $100 for winning state. Krupp then went on to place 11th in the National Geography Bee.

“The bee was the most nervous I’d ever been,” said Krupp. “When I get into academic competitions, it gets very stressful and I feel I have a lot more to prove.”

To prepare for the contest, Krupp compiled a stack of notes that came to be three feet high. He wrote his own notes about the people [he would be tested on] and facts about every country and problem in the world that he knew. Krupp discovered his love of social studies and geography in the fourth grade when he found that he could easily remember the information.

“I was good at [Social Studies],” said Krupp. “You tend to really enjoy the things you’re really good at.” 

Mr. Alexander Krupp Day falls on June 10. To celebrate, his family gives him a cake and they are more compliant with him than usual. It surprises Krupp each year by the number of people who actually know more about his day than he does. Krupp simply feels very happy for himself on his day. 

“It’s like a birthday without presents,” said Krupp.

 In addition to beating out over 100 students in the State Geography Bee and competing against 56 students in the National Geography Bee, Krupp also went to state for his Social Science fair project on medieval Korea when he was in the sixth grade. Although Krupp must wait every other year to compete in the Social Science Fair, he is maintaining a high average in his current world geography class taught by Jeremy Karassik to suffice.

“He has the most extensive previous geographical knowledge of any student I’ve ever taught,” said Karassik. 

Krupp is a member of the Chamblee swim team and enjoys all genres of music, but his favorites are R&B and Funk. He dislikes classical. Social studies still intrigues Krupp which is why it is still his favorite subject.

“I like social studies because I feel like it’s underappreciated,” said Krupp. “It illustrates the way the world changes, and if you don’t know that, you don’t know anything.”