OXON HILL, Md. — The onstage portion of the 2015 Scripps National Spelling Bee began Wednesday morning, with 283 regional champions competing for more than $37,000 in cash and prizes. Here are some memorable moments from the preliminary rounds.
OXON HILL, Md. — The onstage portion of the 2015 Scripps National Spelling Bee began Wednesday morning, with 283 regional champions competing for more than $37,000 in cash and prizes. Here are some memorable moments from the preliminary rounds.
NO NONSENSE
Nick Sarji, a sixth-grader at Aikahi Elementary School in Kailua, Oahu, represented his home state with a teal-and-black aloha shirt during the first preliminary round Wednesday morning.
But he wasn’t up there for long. His word in Round 2 was “xylophone,” and he spelled it without bothering to confirm the definition or etymology.
“I didn’t want to ask for every possible question because I knew the word,” 12-year-old Nick said. “That’s kind of boring. I just wanted to get it over with.”
Nick’s trip to the Washington suburbs was not as smooth. His flight took him from Seattle to Atlanta to Baltimore, and the 20-hour odyssey ended with a bumpy shuttle ride. He’s also had to adjust to a six-hour time difference.
“I’m tired, but I’ve kind of adapted,” he said. On his first night in Maryland, he said, “I couldn’t go to sleep until like 3 in the morning.”
BREEZING THROUGH
During the first preliminary round, 283 kids spelled words — and 279 spelled correctly. Words included “fidelity,” “flamboyant,” “mirage,” “llama” and “analysis.”
The words for the first onstage round — technically Round 2 of the bee; Round 1 is a written test — are taken from a list of about 600 words also used in school and regional-level bees. That gives participants ample opportunity to study and memorize.
“We like the opportunity to give every speller the chance to shine onstage,” said Paige Kimble, the bee’s executive director. “I think what happened this morning is terrific.”
Round 3 words are slightly tougher, and spellers have less time to master them — they are given the list after winning their regional bees.
Jacob Williamson, a popular former speller who finished in seventh place last year and is back this year as a spectator, thinks that’s where the national bee should start.
“Round 2 has to go. It’s pointless,” he said. “I’d make the Round 3 list twice as big and use it for both rounds.”