Salt Lake Valley Spelling Bee

Today was the Salt Lake Valley Spelling Bee, and it was outstanding! My sister placed seventh, but at least she has next year. The champion's winning word was hedgehopper. Until a news article and/or the spellers' profiles are released, I will not mention the champion's name due to privacy.

The head pronouncer was three-time Salt Lake Valley Champion (and 5th Place at the National Spelling Bee in 2013), Vismaya Kharkar.

When I did the Bee, I remember only receiving a T-shirt and a certificate. Now the Salt Lake Valley has a new sponsor, the spellers received more:

• Bee Keeper, with information about each speller: Where they went to school, their grade, the college they want to go to (a lot of spellers had the University of Utah and Brigham Young University), and what they want to be when they grow up. 
• A medal for participation.
• A T-shirt with the 2013 National Spelling Bee Championship word: knaidel

Back then even the championship speller received a few awards, a Merriam-Webster Collegiate Dictionary, and of course a trip to Washington, D.C. for the National Spelling Bee. This year the champion received a trophy, a Webster's Third New International Dictionary (2002), a few awards, and of course the trip to D.C. 

After the Bee, I talked to the champion, and we discussed the materials that would be very useful: Hexco Products (these are very pricey, but they are very beneficial), How to Spell Like a Champ, Consolidated Word List, etc. I also told him useful sites and other resources. Vismaya also gave him advice for what to look forward to at nationals. 

Good luck to him and all the other spellers!