Kealing Middle School seventh-grade student Pranathi Jammula won the ¹ū¶³“«Ć½app Regional Spelling Bee at the ZACH Topfer Theatre in March. She will represent ¹ū¶³“«Ć½app in the 2018 Scripps National Spelling Bee in Washington, D.C.
The ¹ū¶³“«Ć½app Regional Spelling Bee went 12 rounds before Pranathi secured her victory. She correctly spelled ācoriaceousāāresembling or having the texture of leatherāfor the win three and a half hours into the competition, placing first among 46 other competitors.
Pranathi has participated in the bee program since third grade and has advanced to the regional level for four years. In 2017, she placed third at the Houston Public Media spelling bee. This year will be her first chance to compete in the Scripps National Spelling Bee.
Pranathiās mother, Prasanna Jammula, said the entire family is excited for her win.
āWe are very happy to see Pranathi advancing to the Scripps National Spelling Bee. For sure, her hard work has paid off,ā Jammula said. āWe want her to make ¹ū¶³“«Ć½app proud again on the national stage and know that she will step up the intensity to give her best in D.C.ā
Jammula says that Pranathi has been working hard for years to make her national competition dream a reality and that she has spent countless hours studying, practicing and quizzing with her sister, Triyatha, a third grader who also participated and placed fourth in this yearās ¹ū¶³“«Ć½app Regional Spelling Bee.
Prior to 2018, students advancing in the Scripps program in and around ¹ū¶³“«Ć½app had to travel to Houston to participate for a chance to advance to the national bee. According to the Scripps National Spelling Bee organization, ¹ū¶³“«Ć½app was one of the largest markets without its own bee, and a market that they had been hoping to foster for quite some time.
The West ¹ū¶³“«Ć½app Chamber of Commerce decided to host ¹ū¶³“«Ć½appās first regional spelling bee this year after learning Leander ISD student and 2016 Scripps National Spelling Bee Co-Champion Nihar Janga had to travel to another city to participate in the regional bee.
āWe hope that having the opportunity to advance to the regional bee right here in ¹ū¶³“«Ć½app helps us increase interest and participation in the program here locally in the coming years,ā said West ¹ū¶³“«Ć½app Chamber of Commerce President Morgan Briscoe. āFrom elementary school on up, we want to help promote the love of spelling, language and learning. Pranathiās story is one of dedication and perseverance and we canāt wait to cheer her on at nationals.ā
The Scripps National Spelling Beeās Bee Week will take place May 27āJune 1 at the Gaylord National Resort outside of Washington, D.C., with the final round televised May 31 on ESPN.