Photo credit: Al Diaz/Miami Herald
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 fourth week, we are checking in with Florida, Michigan, Minnesota, New Hampshire and Texas. Winners of these events advance to compete in the 2019 Scripps National Spelling Bee.
In Florida, the Miami Herald sponsors two regions and sends two spellers to the national finals. For Miami-Dade and Monroe counties, the winner is Rodrigo Medinilla. Fans of NBC’s “Genius Junior” might recognize the seventh-grader from Pinecrest Preparatory Middle School. He competed on the TV show with his team, called Dork Side, and made it to the finals.
School winners from the region began the contest with a spelling and vocabulary test. They also had a turn to spell onstage. Judges tallied the scores, and the top 15 spellers continued. Rodrigo won after 14 rounds of spelling with the word “acervation.”
Community Spelling Bee.
Photo credit: Jeff Kiessel/Daily News
In Michigan, it took a nearly 2-hour spell-off between the top two spellers to determine a champion of the Ludington Daily News Community Spelling Bee. Sophia Grierson, an eighth-grader from Ludington Area Catholic School, defended her title as last year’s champion to earn a second trip to Washington, D.C.
She correctly spelled “excelsior” for the victory. In addition to spelling, Sophia loves to read, dance, and play soccer and volleyball.
Photo credit: Brainerd Dispatch
For Hannah Moddes, from Baxter, Minnesota, her trip to the national finals will be her first time in Washington, D.C. The seventh-grader from Forestview Middle School excelled in her very first regional competition, sponsored by Sourcewell. She outlasted 30 other spellers and won by correctly spelling “apothecary.”
When interviewed by the Brainerd Dispatch about her win, she said she was excited, exhilarated and surprised by her performance.
Hampshire State Spelling Bee.
Photo credit: Allegra Boverman/Union Leader
In New Hampshire, winner Anna Hammer, an eighth-grader from Timberlane Regional Middle School in Plaistow, enjoyed watching the other spellers almost as much as winning the 66th State Spelling Bee. In an interview with the sponsoring newspaper, the New Hampshire Union Leader, she said, “It was really enjoyable just watching everybody and waiting for my turn. I love it — just the thrill of being up there on stage.”
Anna’s goal was to exceed last year’s results and advance to spelling onstage. Her winning word was “crambo,” a word she admitted she didn’t know. She used clues from the pronouncer to make sense of it and spell it correctly, to the delight of the audience and her family.
Photo credit: Tim Fischer/Reporter-Telegram
In Midland, Texas, seventh-grader Anulya Ganta made it a three-peat for Abell Junior High. For three straight years, that school was home to the Midland Reporter-Telegram spelling bee champion. A total of 37 spellers competed for prizes including the trip to the nation’s capital. Anulya’s display of spelling prowess was anything but “futile,” her winning word.
In an interview, Anulya shared her thoughts on her successful outcome with the sponsoring newspaper. “I thought I would make second or third (place) but definitely not win. It was great. I went up against a lot of great people, and I’m glad I could do it.”
Check back each week as we share more success stories from spellers whose journeys are taking them to the Scripps National Spelling Bee.
Click on the links below to read the full story on some of this week’s spelling bee recap:
Ludington Daily News Spelling Bee