Schools

Local Spelling Bee Champ Heads to National Competition

Isabelle Scott, an 8th grader at Gelinas Junior High, has been studying hard.

After winning the Long Island Regional Scripps Spelling Bee in February, Gelinas 8th grader Isabelle Scott is headed to the national level of competition, according to a story published Tuesday in Newsday.

"I am excited because I understand that it's an accomplishment and it's thrilling, of course," Scott told Newsday. "But I'm also nervous because it's something I've never done before."

She has been practicing spelling for two hours total every day with her mother, Dr. Allison McLarty, and with her honors English teacher, Joanna Cadolino. Not only did she study prefixes and suffixes, but she also studied the language of origin of certain words, and she used the Scripps official spelling bee guide, which featured about 1,500 words.

The finals of the spelling bee will be broadcast on ESPN from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. on Thursday.

Click here to read the full story from Newsday (subscription required).


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