Posted Thursday, May 24, 2012 --- 12:56 p.m.

WASHINGTON (AP) -- A first-time National Geographic Bee contender from Texas has won the annual competition in Washington.

Fourteen-year-old Rahul Nagvekar, of Sugar Land, Texas, will receive a $25,000 scholarship for his win Thursday. Rahul won by correctly naming Regensburg as the Bavarian city located on the Danube River that was a legislative seat of the Holy Roman Empire from 1663 to 1806.

Thirteen-year-old Vansh Jain, of Minocqua, Wis., came in second, and will take home a $15,000 scholarship. The third-place winner, 13-year-old Varun Mahadevan of Fremont, Calif., wins a $10,000 scholarship.

The competition began with about 4 million students in schools across the country this year.

"Jeopardy!" host Alex Trebek hosted the finals, which were televised on the National Geographic Channel.

Copyright 2012. The Associated Press.