I guess I underestimated how busy summer will be. Today, I began Geometry for high school credit. Yesterday, I continued my planning for the spelling bee club. Right now, it is going well, so if you want to help, please email me. spellingchamp135@gmail.com.
I also have the Bible Bee to work with, which is way difficult, because you have to recite the verses word for word. During the semifinals and finals, you are not allowed to restart, but during preliminaries, you are allowed to. In my opinion, the National Bible Bee is stricter than the National Spelling Bee. I have found the National Geographic Bee and the National Bible Bee harder than the National Spelling Bee and Mathcounts.
A new activity was added to my schedule after I learned that I was promoted to the touring level of choir. On Saturday, my choir had to do a recording. It was so much fun, and very tiring after a while. Whenever we had a break I studied some spelling.
I hope to put up a few spelling lists up soon!
Monday, June 13, 2011
Wednesday, June 8, 2011
Spelling Bee Poems
I wrote a few spelling bee poems, and I am planning to write more.
Figuring out the Word
I hear a very obscure word.
I ask for the definition, language of origin,
alternate pronunciations, and other information.
I started to think about this esoteric word.
It is not in the Consolidated Word List.
It is not in my Hexco products.
It is not on my wall of words.
There is nothing I can
recall from my note cards.
It is not in any books I have read.
It is not in any of my twenty-five binders.
The clock continued winding down.
I asked for information again.
The clock was soon at thirty seconds.
It was all on me now.
I slowly spelled the word,
Judge Mary Brooks rang the bell.
Dr. Jacques Bailly gave me the correct spelling.
I said, "Thanks!", walked off the stage, and
was led to the Comfort Room.
The Defining Moment
A fellow speller just walked backed to his seat
after misspelling his word.
I have two more words to spell.
If I spell them both correctly,
I will be the champion.
I began walking to the microphone,
and listened to my word.
I then asked for the information,
and I knew it.
My hand and finger are trembling
while spelling the word.
Now I am moving onto the final round.
I received my word.
This cannot be the word
I learned in History!
When I heard the definition and origin,
my heart began to pump quickly,
that I almost started to jump, and scream
the letters out, like the 1997 champion,
Rebecca Sealfon.
I smiled and slowly spelled the word.
When Judge Mary Brooks said,
"You are the champion!"
tears came out of my eyes,
and the audience stood up, clapped,
screamed, and cried.
My family embraced me, then I was
given the trophy.
This is a moment I will never forget.
I have never shared these poems to anyone outside my family (this includes relatives). These poems show how I would feel in the spelling bee. I wrote these poems before the 2010-2011 spelling bee season began. If you can give me more ideas, I would love to write about them, too.
By the way, I will be posting Word of the Day again, when the 2011-2012 school year begins. Continue spelling this summer. If you want to win, study when you have time. If you find yourself distracted by the television, computer, Ipod, and other electronics, turn them off and study! It is okay if you are studying from the computer, Ipod, or other electronics. Good luck to everyone competing next year and the next years!
Tuesday, June 7, 2011
Ecrire avec Votre Rêve! Ecrire avec Votre Coeur! Ecrire avec Votre Amour!
If you do not get what the title means, it says, "Spell with your dream! Spell with your heart! Spell with your love!" I do not know if my French is accurate, but it is the best I can do. I hope you continue doing that, and never give up. As long as you persevere, you will do amazing!
Now that the 2011 National Spelling Bee is over, it is time to continue studying for the 2012 National Spelling Bee. I have not taken a break since 2005. I thought my consecutive studying led back only to 2009, but I checked old calendars, which had marks for each day I studied. My streak is still going! April 12, 2005 to whenever a day when the spelling bee will pass. I do not think spelling will pass for me, because I still want to study with other spellers.
I also count choir as studying for the spelling bee as well, because we learn a lot of word patterns, along with their etymology as well.
Always do your best. Do not misspell a word, because you do not really care if you win. Then again, I do not think any competitive speller wants to misspell. Think of the word patterns in your head.
Do not compete against each other. As 2009 National Spelling Bee Champion, Kavya Shivashankar once said, "Instead of competing against each other, I compete against the dictionary." When I competed, I never cared about my competition. I cared about them, because I wanted them to spell their words correctly. We were never like, "I'm against you, so I have to hate you." It was more of, "Good luck, and do your best, no matter what the outcome is."
I focus on my motto always. I say it before, during, and after every competition.
Remember to make a schedule for your studying. I doesn't matter how long you study, or how many words you know. What matters is figuring out words when you are in the contest.
Always be glad with your placement. Always set goals and dreams.
Now that the 2011 National Spelling Bee is over, it is time to continue studying for the 2012 National Spelling Bee. I have not taken a break since 2005. I thought my consecutive studying led back only to 2009, but I checked old calendars, which had marks for each day I studied. My streak is still going! April 12, 2005 to whenever a day when the spelling bee will pass. I do not think spelling will pass for me, because I still want to study with other spellers.
I also count choir as studying for the spelling bee as well, because we learn a lot of word patterns, along with their etymology as well.
Always do your best. Do not misspell a word, because you do not really care if you win. Then again, I do not think any competitive speller wants to misspell. Think of the word patterns in your head.
Do not compete against each other. As 2009 National Spelling Bee Champion, Kavya Shivashankar once said, "Instead of competing against each other, I compete against the dictionary." When I competed, I never cared about my competition. I cared about them, because I wanted them to spell their words correctly. We were never like, "I'm against you, so I have to hate you." It was more of, "Good luck, and do your best, no matter what the outcome is."
I focus on my motto always. I say it before, during, and after every competition.
Remember to make a schedule for your studying. I doesn't matter how long you study, or how many words you know. What matters is figuring out words when you are in the contest.
Always be glad with your placement. Always set goals and dreams.
Spelling Bee Club/Choir Summer Camp/Find all the Words in the Song which are in Webster's Third
As many people may ask me, you're still studying? Of course! There is no reason to stop learning about words! In fact, I still need it for the spelling bee club I'm planning! By the way, if you are not from Salt Lake, Davis, Juab, Utah, or Wasatch Counties in Utah, each session will be filmed, and you can study from them. Spellers from Utah in the counties mentioned, you can watch the videos, too if you cannot make it to a session. Other spellers around the nation and world are welcome as well. Email me at spellingchamp135@gmail.com.
Who is starting the studying now for the 2012 National Spelling Bee in my family? My cousin, who lives in Denver, Colorado and my sister! They are both outstanding spellers! They are the first official members of my club. Just last night, my sister just started to study with the Scripps Bee Game on the Nintendo D.S. She was hooked onto it for nearly two hours.
I am ready to begin my spelling bee club whenever it is ready. I am going to be slow with updates at first, but I will pick up the pace. I will try to make a website, but I confess that I am not good with computers. I will post the videos on the blog, if I cannot make a website. If you want to know about how to do something, post a comment, and I will make a non-session video.
Tips will not just be about spelling, but what to do, and what not to do when you are on stage. Here are some:
Who is starting the studying now for the 2012 National Spelling Bee in my family? My cousin, who lives in Denver, Colorado and my sister! They are both outstanding spellers! They are the first official members of my club. Just last night, my sister just started to study with the Scripps Bee Game on the Nintendo D.S. She was hooked onto it for nearly two hours.
I am ready to begin my spelling bee club whenever it is ready. I am going to be slow with updates at first, but I will pick up the pace. I will try to make a website, but I confess that I am not good with computers. I will post the videos on the blog, if I cannot make a website. If you want to know about how to do something, post a comment, and I will make a non-session video.
Tips will not just be about spelling, but what to do, and what not to do when you are on stage. Here are some:
- Do not freak out! Stay relaxed.
- When you are waiting for your word, make sure you are not messing around, biting your nails, or any other bad habit.
- While you are spelling, ask for the information you need. Do not ask for unnecessary information, or the audience will smell your show-off behavior, and find it annoying. Plus, you will waste your precious time. Two minutes and thirty seconds is plenty of time.
Sometimes I like to go somewhat off subject. You know how there are Suzuki Music camps all over the world? The camp I am talking to you about is a choir camp. This year was very special, because we had a day with the Drakensberg Boys Choir from South Africa. We learned Zulu songs, which made me think, has there ever been a Zulu word used at the National Spelling Bee? Some of the songs the boys sang were Afrikaans, and I am pretty sure those words have been used at the Bee. Here are some:
- muishond
- blouwildebeesoog
- wildebeest
- hartebeest
I enjoy trying to relate the National Spelling Bee to other things. I closely relate it to choir, except my choir is not a contest, until we go to the World Choir Games or another contest.
Find all the words in the song which are in Webster's Third. I will help with the first words, and they will be bolded.
Le Ciel a Visite la Terre
Le ciel a visité la terre,
Mon bien-aimé repose en moi
Du saint amour c'est le mystère!
Ô mon âme adore et tais-toi!
Amour que je ne puis comprendre,
Jésus habite dans mon coeur!
Jusques là vous pouvez descendre,
Humilité de mon sauveur!
Le ciel a visité la terre,
Mon bien-aimé repose en moi
Du saint amour c'est le mystère!
Ô mon âme adore et tais-toi!
Vous savez bien que je vous aime,
Moi, qui par vous fut tant aimé!
Que tout autre amour que vous même
Par votre feu soit consumé!
Le ciel a visité la terre,
Mon bien-aimé repose en moi
Du saint amour c'est le mystère!
Ô mon âme adore et tais-toi!
À votre chair mon âme unie
De vos élus ressent la paix
Divin Jésus, sainte harmonie,
Venez en mon coeur à jamais!
Le ciel a visité la terre,
Mon bien-aimé repose en moi
Du saint amour c'est le mystère!
Ô mon âme adore et tais-toi!
Good luck, and continue spelling! Email me if you have a question, or want a post about any spelling bee topic! spellingchamp135@gmail.com.
Wednesday, June 1, 2011
Round 3 - I'm Writing This During the First Half
Several of these words were used at the 2007 National Spelling Bee: pappardelle and rascacio. They were both spelled by the 2007 champion, Evan O'Dorney. Perhaps words such as zacate, fauchard, genizah, sagittal, coryza, epaulement, reblochon, clevis, truttaceous, cilice, and videlicet, will appear again! Another word I remember being used is calenture.
Veronica took a while spelling vaquero. I am pretty sure she knew the word, but she wanted to make sure she had the right letters!
I am proud of Rachael Cundey for spelling both of her words correctly today. In 2009 and 2010, she misspelled her words. In 2010, the judges to a while to confirm whether she had correctly spelled or misspelled mihrab. I assume that she accidentally added an e (mihreab). She seems more confident this year!
I do not see a certain topic on which the words are on this year. Last year, there were plenty of culinary and science words.
I am glad that I watched replays and live contests this year, because a lot of the words are from those bees. They were used in Canspell National Spelling Bee, Salt Lake Valley Spelling Bee, Utah Valley Spelling Bee, Virginian-Pilot Spelling Bee, and perhaps all the Local Bees around the U.S.! A lot of words are from Canspell Finals, including rupicolous, hirsutism, edacious, brachiate, hordeolum, appetency, and clavichord. A lot of the words are from Spell It!
Oh no! Swetha Jasti from Olathe, Kansas misspelled commissar as comissar. She beat Vanya Shivashankar as the Olathe District Bee. I hope she got a good score on the written test! If you do not make it to semifinals, you still have next year, unless Vanya beats you. Good luck and continue spelling!
The sentences are great this year, and a lot of them have to do with the National Spelling Bee. One sentence was something like "After the National Spelling Bee, I watched the replays over and over again, to hear my mellisonant voice." The sentence for threnody was funny, but long, so I do not quite remember it.
One girl was getting waiting to see if she spelled tokamak correctly, because she mispronounced "t". She spelled it correctly. After, the computers had to update.
This is getting more intense. Speller #114 was waiting for the signal to see if he correctly spelled divagate. Yes, he is correct!
What fell that made a loud sound? Dr. Bailly said, "The show must go on!"
Aha! There is another Canspell word: propinquity.
I get very nervous when a 2008-2010 semifinalist and/or championship finalist comes up. I am not a not a nervous person, but it is nerve-racking to watch other spellers. I have a lot of confidence at the microphone, but when it is the other spellers, I feel as if I am going to pass out, and that is how I feel right now.
The timer has not been showing a lot. Then again, this is preliminaries. It will show more tomorrow, with the sting of that dreaded bell. Ding!
From Round 2: I am so glad that Vismaya spelled her word correctly: maillot. That word is in How to Spell Like a Champ, and she told me that she has that book. She'll be okay, because she studied the Consolidated Word List, too.
First half of Round 3 is over. Cataclysmic concludes the end of Round 3. Unfortunately it was misspelled as cataclysmatic.
Veronica took a while spelling vaquero. I am pretty sure she knew the word, but she wanted to make sure she had the right letters!
I am proud of Rachael Cundey for spelling both of her words correctly today. In 2009 and 2010, she misspelled her words. In 2010, the judges to a while to confirm whether she had correctly spelled or misspelled mihrab. I assume that she accidentally added an e (mihreab). She seems more confident this year!
I do not see a certain topic on which the words are on this year. Last year, there were plenty of culinary and science words.
I am glad that I watched replays and live contests this year, because a lot of the words are from those bees. They were used in Canspell National Spelling Bee, Salt Lake Valley Spelling Bee, Utah Valley Spelling Bee, Virginian-Pilot Spelling Bee, and perhaps all the Local Bees around the U.S.! A lot of words are from Canspell Finals, including rupicolous, hirsutism, edacious, brachiate, hordeolum, appetency, and clavichord. A lot of the words are from Spell It!
Oh no! Swetha Jasti from Olathe, Kansas misspelled commissar as comissar. She beat Vanya Shivashankar as the Olathe District Bee. I hope she got a good score on the written test! If you do not make it to semifinals, you still have next year, unless Vanya beats you. Good luck and continue spelling!
The sentences are great this year, and a lot of them have to do with the National Spelling Bee. One sentence was something like "After the National Spelling Bee, I watched the replays over and over again, to hear my mellisonant voice." The sentence for threnody was funny, but long, so I do not quite remember it.
One girl was getting waiting to see if she spelled tokamak correctly, because she mispronounced "t". She spelled it correctly. After, the computers had to update.
This is getting more intense. Speller #114 was waiting for the signal to see if he correctly spelled divagate. Yes, he is correct!
What fell that made a loud sound? Dr. Bailly said, "The show must go on!"
Aha! There is another Canspell word: propinquity.
I get very nervous when a 2008-2010 semifinalist and/or championship finalist comes up. I am not a not a nervous person, but it is nerve-racking to watch other spellers. I have a lot of confidence at the microphone, but when it is the other spellers, I feel as if I am going to pass out, and that is how I feel right now.
The timer has not been showing a lot. Then again, this is preliminaries. It will show more tomorrow, with the sting of that dreaded bell. Ding!
From Round 2: I am so glad that Vismaya spelled her word correctly: maillot. That word is in How to Spell Like a Champ, and she told me that she has that book. She'll be okay, because she studied the Consolidated Word List, too.
First half of Round 3 is over. Cataclysmic concludes the end of Round 3. Unfortunately it was misspelled as cataclysmatic.
Round 2
Spellers are doing great!
When Laura Newcombe came up to the microphone I was shaking, then when I heard equinoctial, I calmed down. Veronica startled me most of all the spellers. She received the word Fauntleroy, and thought about it for a while. Graham, was very confident while spelling alkali. I hope all three of them make it to semifinals.
Results for Utah
Matthew - keest (kiest)
Jared - Ulyssean
Anna-Marie - persillade (I love how you knew the origin right away!)
Vismaya - maillot (You are very confident)
Four-peats
Rahul - anomaly
Nicholas - clairsentience
Julianna - tahini
Round closes with brontophobia.
Round 2 is over!
http://espn.go.com/espn3
When Laura Newcombe came up to the microphone I was shaking, then when I heard equinoctial, I calmed down. Veronica startled me most of all the spellers. She received the word Fauntleroy, and thought about it for a while. Graham, was very confident while spelling alkali. I hope all three of them make it to semifinals.
Results for Utah
Matthew - keest (kiest)
Jared - Ulyssean
Anna-Marie - persillade (I love how you knew the origin right away!)
Vismaya - maillot (You are very confident)
Four-peats
Rahul - anomaly
Nicholas - clairsentience
Julianna - tahini
Round closes with brontophobia.
Round 2 is over!
I was very impressed with #254 Ethan Ruggeri. He flawlessly spelled glabrous. Keep in mind that this kid is only eight. If he wins this year, next year, or the year after that, he will be the youngest champion. Virginia hasn't had a champion since 1992 (winning word: lyceum). He reminds me of Samir Patel (speller from 2003-2007), who was only a third grader when he tied for 3rd. I think he skipped a grade, but I do not remember, because it has been such a long time since Samir Patel. If you do not know who Samir Patel is, I suggest watching the video and reading the article:
It is Time!
At 8:00 Eastern Time, it is time for Round 2 to begin. I am a little nervous for the spellers. Whenever it comes to the Bee, I'm never nervous, but I am for the spellers. I will try and post as the Bee is going on, and during the commercial breaks. If you want to watch, here is the link:
http://espn.go.com/espn3
As the spellers do last minute studying, let us breathe.
http://espn.go.com/espn3
As the spellers do last minute studying, let us breathe.
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