In recognition of regional spelling bee competitions across the country and in other parts of the world, we are showcasing a few of the local contests. In this third week, we are checking in with North Carolina, Indiana, Tennessee and California. Winners of these events advance to compete in the 2019 Scripps National Spelling Bee.
Photo credit: Cumberland Co. Schools
At the Cumberland County Spelling Bee in North Carolina, it was Merry Wang’s first time at the regional level. She had plenty of experience watching her friend and previous regional champion Kendal Win the past two years. That was the inspiration Merry needed when it was her turn at the microphone. The seventh-grader from Pine Forest Middle School learned about the dedication it takes to excel at spelling. She practiced twice a day — in the morning and again at night — and she said repetition was the key.
When she reached the championship word, “beachhead,” it stumped her briefly. She told The Fayetteville Observer, “I thought that it wasn’t really a word, because I never saw it on the myspellit.com list.” She remained patient and asked all the right questions to solve the mystery.
The Fayetteville Observer and Methodist University are sponsors of the competition and will cover much of the cost of Merry’s trip to the national finals.
Photo credit: IU Media School
Also heading to National Harbor, Maryland, in May is fourth-grader Yena Park from University Elementary in Bloomington, Indiana. Her reaction to winning the regional contest perfectly embodied her championship word — “enthusiasm.”
It was Yena’s first time competing at the Indiana University Bee. She shared with the IU Media School reporter, “I feel really excited. I have never won anything like this before.” Yena said she practiced for hours the night before the competition.
Photo credit: Tennessee Titans
In Nashville, football fans are accustomed to tough competition at the home of the Tennessee Titans. In the fourth annual regional spelling bee sponsored by the NFL team, a total of 48 spellers battled the dictionary for the top two spots and a trip for both to the national finals.
After 15 rounds of spelling that lasted more than four hours, Jack Parker, from Fred J. Page Middle School in Franklin, took first place when he correctly spelled “odograph.” Keller Smith from Huntingdon Middle School placed second. They are the top spellers from 51 counties in middle and western Tennessee.
Another grueling and competitive spelling competition was the Bay Area Regional Spelling Bee in California. Spellers traveled to Pleasanton for the event, which lasted more than five hours and took 14 rounds to determine a winner. Rishik Gandhasri won with “guanabana.”
The seventh-grader from Chaboya Middle School in San Jose is no stranger to the national finals. He competed in 2018 and watched his brother on the national stage in 2017 and 2016. Rishik and his parents said they were surprised by his victory. They said his year has been very busy with school and activities, and he’s taken a great interest in math competitions.
The Bay Area did not have a sponsor this year. With 237 local schools enrolled in the program, the Bee decided to step in to continue the regional competition. We are currently looking for a new sponsor to take over for 2020.
Check back each week as we share more success stories from spellers whose journeys are taking them to the nation’s capital.
Click on the links below to read the full story on some of this week’s spelling bee recap:
Cumberland County Bee sponsored by The Fayetteville Observer
IU Bee sponsored by Indiana University
Tennessee Titans Spelling Bee
Bay Area Regional Spelling Bee