Despite the lingering impact of Hurricane Maria, many children in Puerto Rico remained dedicated spellers. Nearly 30 students qualified for the Eureka Enrichment and Learning Center national spelling bee. Almudena Soler, a fifth-grader, was crowned the champion. Her brother was the Puerto Rico champion in 2013, but Almudena was too little for the trip. Now she has her own opportunity.
Photo credit: Spelling Bee Puerto Rico
Jah'Quane Graham, a sixth-grader from Juanita Gardine Elementary School in St. Croix, Virgin Islands, said if he won the 2018 Territorial Intermediate Spelling Bee, he would dance to celebrate. After correctly spelling "exceedingly," he danced on stage for all to enjoy. The Virgin Islands Daily News is the longtime sponsor of the competition.
Joshua Saylor, a seventh-grade student at Mirror Lake Middle School in Chugiak, Alaska, raised his arms in triumph after winning the Alaska State Spelling Bee for the second year in a row. He defended his title as champion by correctly spelling "pompier" in the ninth round.
First I participated in my school spelling bee. All the spellers were eliminated in the first round except for me and a girl. It lasted about 20-30 minutes. I was the winner for my school spelling bee in fourth grade. At the county I won first place by the word "caribou". Next I have a county I got third place the word I missed is "pilates" it means a exercise regimen. The winner in 2016 lost in the first round by the word knavery. There was a girl beside me that got the word knavery wrong. The both spelled "n-a-v-e-r-y" that was a tricky word because the k is silent.
Rahul Naveen, an eighth-grader at Medea Creek Middle School in Oak Park, California, is the champion of the SAGE Ventura County Spelling Bee and will represent Ventura County and SAGE Publishing at the Scripps National Spelling Bee in Washington. Rahul outlasted 130 competitors and spelled through 29 rounds before winning by correctly spelling "effervescence."
Prisha Patel, a sixth-grader at Rocky Mount Academy in North Carolina, continued the family legacy by winning the Advancement Spelling Bee, sponsored by the Delta Center for Life Development. Prisha took the top prize with the word “terrapin.” Her brother won the competition last year. She thanked her parents for helping her prepare.
Anika Gundlapalli, a sixth-grader at Nimitz Middle School in Odessa, Texas, was determined to return for a second opportunity at the national finals. In the 35th round, she knew "valves" and spelled it correctly to earn that repeat trip. Anika attributed her win to preparation and study, and said it was cool to see that work pay off.
Dominic Taylor, a seventh-grader at Chatfield School in Lapeer, Michigan, will never forget the word “sketchy.” The word sealed the victory for him in the 2018 Lapeer County Spelling Bee. His confidence and Albert Einstein T-shirt likely helped, too. When asked by a local reporter if he was nervous about the competition, he commented, "No, not really. It wasn’t too bad."
Ninety-eight students qualified to compete in the North Dakota State Spelling Bee. In the end, it was Tobi Shorunke, an eighth-grader from Ben Franklin Middle School in Fargo, who won with the word "millibars." The North Dakota Association of County Superintendents sponsors the program, which includes 184 enrolled schools.
Dante Marinacci, an 11-year-old from Kinneret Day School in Bronx, New York, said a little bit of luck certainly helps when it comes to the spelling bee. The Daily News advances two spellers to the national finals, and the second day of competition was a good one for Dante. He correctly spelled "peristome" to win the title and a trip to Washington, D.C.