Sample words from the spelling bee
These are some of the words competitors wrestled with on Saturday:
Backstein
Poignant
Rendezvous
Epistle
Iridology
Sanguine
Webelos
Panoply
Peripatetic
Anachronism
Soliloquy
Batik
Dahlia
Teddy Schoenfeld, 13, commanded the stage.
“The word is ‘gravitas,’” Jim Conder, the pronouncer, said.
Schoenfeld asked for Conder to repeat the word.
Conder complied, and as he did, Schoenfeld echoed the word into his microphone at the same time.
“Jinx!” Schoenfeld said as laughter erupted throughout the crowd.
He then spelled ‘gravitas’ and won the Boulder Valley School District Regional Spelling Bee.
The bee was held at Casey Middle School on Saturday morning. It was co-sponsored by Barnes Noble, the Daily Camera and several local branches of Rotary International. It featured 49 young walking dictionaries whom had each won their schools’ spelling bees.
“If a kindergartener were an incredibly good speller, they could participate. We don’t have any here today, though. From elementary school, it’s mostly fourth and fifth graders, and you’re allowed to participate up until eighth grade,” Jeff Oliver, community relations manager for the bee, said.
Schoenfeld is a seventh-grader at Summit Middle Charter School. He has participated in the regional bee since he was in third grade and was runner-up last year.
His interest in spelling began in the second grade, he said, when he got his first taste of competitive spelling at his elementary school’s spelling bee.
“I got out on the word ‘plumber.’ Ever since then, I’ve wanted to win. I’ve always been competitive, and this is an opportunity for that,” he said.
Next up for Schoenfeld is an all-expense paid trip to Washington, D.C. where he will compete in the Scripps National Spelling Bee.
Aside from confidently spelling every word thrown at him with composure and ease, Schoenfeld cracked several jokes throughout his time on stage. At one point, he asked Conder to use a word in a song as opposed to the usual request of using a word in a sentence.
“The guy’s got a future in stand-up,” Conder said.
Conder, a longtime Denver radio host, has been the bee’s pronouncer for 12 years.
“I really enjoy it. I don’t like watching the kids pained by defeat because they’re all champs, but watching the victory is amazing. A win means going to Washington, D.C. A win could be life-changing,” he said.
Schoenfeld studies by practicing word lists off the website quizlet.com.
His father, Bruce, attributes the win to Teddy’s curiosity.
“He’s always read a lot. He’s just interested in everything,” he said.
Eva Kitlen, 15, of Niwot High School was among the judges of the bee. Kitlen is a two-time winner of Boulder Valley’s spelling bee and placed nineteenth at the national bee last year. She was pleased to be behind the judging desk this time around.
“I’m actually really happy I’m not spelling today because it’s so stressful,” she said.
Schoenfeld didn’t let the stress bother him.
“I wasn’t very nervous. I knew the words. After coming in second last year, I felt like a contender this year,” he said.
In addition to his aptitude with words, young Schoenfeld also has an affinity for athletics. He said his dream job would be a professional baseball player for the Boston Red Sox. His little league team made it to regionals last year.
“It’s rare you have a kid making it to regionals in both little league and a spelling bee. He’s just interested in so many things,” his father said.
As for Schoenfeld, his win still feels a bit surreal. He shook his head in disbelief at the thought of competing on a national level.
“It hasn’t sunk in yet. That’s incredible. I always sat watching the Scripps National Spelling Bee on television, and I would think, ‘Hey, I could spell those words!’ I can’t believe I did it,” he said.
Article source: http://www.dailycamera.com/news/boulder/ci_25207958/humor-and-gravitas-13-year-old-takes-regional