York Region teen named Canada’s Top Young Geographer
A York Region student has earned national recognition after winning the 2026 Canadian Geographic Challenge and being named Canada’s Top Young Geographer.
Fifteen-year-old Armaan Musaji, a student at Milliken Mills High School, captured first place at the national finals held in Ottawa, taking home the $3,000 grand prize.
More than 10,000 students from across the country participated in the competition, from 300 schools in every province or territory.
The national final, held at the Royal Canadian Geographical Society’s headquarters at the end of May, brought together 20 outstanding students aged 12 to 16 from seven provinces or territories, including Yukon, British Columbia, Alberta, Ontario, Québec, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia.
Over the course of three days, participants tackled written tests, outdoor fieldwork, and live-audience challenges to demonstrate their knowledge of human and physical geography at both local and global scales.
“We saw students who weren’t afraid to step outside, pay attention, ask questions, and look at the world through a geographic perspective. That curiosity and determination to understand nature and our role in it is what makes them geographers at heart—and it’s exactly why they excelled in the Challenge,” said John Estabillo, Director of Education at Canadian Geographic Education. “Representing the future of geography in Canada, these students are bright, inquisitive, and ready to make a difference.”
The top five finalists were Grade 10 Armaan Musaji from Markham (1st), Grade 9 Brendan Alilovic from Toronto (2nd), Grade 10 Eric Yuan from Calgary (3rd), Grade 9 Jonah Kolta from Markham (4th), and Grade 8 Ameya Shah from Richmond, B.C. (5th).
“Geography is important in today’s world because it allows you to know where you are in the world, and it helps you make connections between different aspects of your surroundings. My interest in geography started from my childhood, when my parents gave me a small globe of the world. Remember, without geography, you’re nowhere,” said Musaji, winner of the Can Geo Challenge.
“The Can Geo Challenge is one of the Society’s proudest traditions,” said John Geiger, President and CEO of the Royal Canadian Geographical Society. “It not only fosters a lifelong love of geography but builds confidence, leadership, and critical thinking skills. We’re so proud of every student who participated this year.”
“This year more than 10,000 students in Grades 4-10 competed in the Can Geo Challenge across the country. It is a great way for teachers to engage their students in learning more about Canada and the world. Geography matters more than ever, that’s why I am proud to have guided this competition for many years,” said Paul VanZant, Chair of Canadian Geographic Education.
The competition and its 31-year legacy were made possible through the generous support of Kensington Tours and the Trebek Family Foundation. The Challenge continues to inspire thousands of Canadian students annually, and this year’s event reaffirmed the importance of geographic education in understanding and shaping the world.
Photo: Armaan Musaji has earned national recognition after winning the 2026 Canadian Geographic Challenge and being named Canada’s Top Young Geographer. (Photo courtesy of Melody Maloney, Canadian Geographic)