The New Orleans (LA) Chapter of The Links, Incorporated and The Times – Picayune held its 27th Annual Spelling Bee on March 14, 2015 at Xavier University. There were 247 champion spellers registered for the Bee from 35 schools. The majority of schools registered eight spellers.
The winner, Tien Nguyen, was awarded an all-expense-paid trip for two (2) to the Washington, D.C. area to compete in the 2015 Scripps National Spelling Bee at the end of May, courtesy of The Times – Picayune. Her winning word was schottische.
Tien is a sixth-grade student at Einstein Charter School and told us that her older sister had been her coach as she prepared for the Bee. Her older and younger sisters accompanied her on Saturday and the Bee Coordinator, Verdie Richburg, thinks that the eight-year-old younger sister was more excited than Tien.
The 2nd place winner, Charles Korndorffer, is an eighth-grade student at Jesuit. The 3rd Place winner, Antonio Alphonse, is a 7th grader at Hynes Charter School. Respectively, the words that eliminated each, were galjoen and sarsaparilla. Antonio told some Link members that he plans to return in 2016.
The other nine champion spellers were Charles Blanchard (Christian Brothers), Carter Byrd (LaPlace Middle), Brooke Kenworthey (Clearwood Junior High), Ashleigh Lark (Mount Carmel Academy), Grayson Myers (Metairie Park Country Day), Kaylie Nguyen (St. Ann School), Jacob Spencer (Boyet Junior High), Paul Vo (Einstein Charter School) and Will Zimmer (Stewart Hall). There were only seven rounds in the final competition and some of the words that eliminated the other nine semi-finalists were gymkhana, dossier, mnemonic, narcissistic, wiccan, exacerbate and chauvinism.
The pronouncer for the Final Competition was Dr. Michael Kuczynski, Chair of the English Department at Tulane University. The three other pronouncers were Dr. Elizabeth Rhodes (Assistant Professor at Xavier University), Gina Swanson (WDSU/TV Anchor and News Reporter), and Robin Johnstone (Teaching Associate, UNO English Department).
Additional Bee officials were Tonia Muse-Baker (Educator, Orleans Parish School System), Honorable June Darensburg (Chief Judge, Division C, 24th Judicial District Court (Jefferson Parish), Terrence Dugas (Attorney, Department of Children and Family Services for Child Support Enforcement), Kim Dugas-Glass (Attorney), Keisha Dubuclet (Educator, Center for Development and Learning), D’August Gilmore (Attorney), and Fred Roberts (Retired Pharmaceutical Industry).
In addition to improving students’ spelling skills and increasing their vocabularies, Verdie Richburg said the Bee also helps students develop correct English usage and it provides a valuable experience in developing poise — a necessary skill for success in public speaking.
Schools can begin registering for the Bee at the end of August each year and can register until the end of December or mid-January.
For More Information Contact
Verdie F. Richburg
504.451-9839
504.888-3663
