BY SONAM MIRPURI
IRVINE,CA-The 2015 Scripps National Spelling Bee Championship Finals was held on May 28 at the Maryland Ballroom in the Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center in National Harbor, Maryland. This year the spelling bee had 285 spellers that were set to compete in the finals against one another. Sarika Rau,
IRVINE,CA-The 2015 Scripps National Spelling Bee Championship Finals was held on May 28 at the Maryland Ballroom in the Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center in National Harbor, Maryland. This year the spelling bee had 285 spellers that were set to compete in the finals against one another. Sarika Rau,
13-year-old, Orange County resident, placed 50th out of the 285 participants in the Scripps National Spelling Bee. She was able to compete in the main event after beating 120 middle school students and winning the 2015 Orange County Spelling Bee. Thus attaining The Orange County Register sponsorship to go on to the main spelling bee.
“The event was fun and really well organized. They had planned lots of activities and it wasn’t so much a competition against spellers; it felt like we were all friends,” said Rau about her experience.
Familial ties connect Sarika to spelling. At a young age she experienced such events and from there the accidental attraction began.
“My brother (Amrit) competed in spelling bees when I was much younger. I just followed along with it and decided I wanted to try it too and it turned out I was pretty good at it so I kept going,” said Rao.
Which continues to this day because Smitha Rau is her everything in one. With luck, talent, and support anything is possible.“My mom (Smitha) is my mentor and coach. She quizzes me and helps me study,” said Sarika.
Rau is a seventh grader who attends Sierra Vista Middle School in Irvine.
The school posted a statement on their website in regards to the news, “Congratulations to Sarika R., who won the Orange County District spelling bee after 18 lengthy rounds. Sarika competed against 46 other spelling bee finalists from schools throughout the county for this honor and she will get the amazing opportunity to travel all the way to Washington D.C in May to compete in the National Spelling Bee.” Sarika, as an individual, works hard when she sets a goal for herself. She sets goals and strives to accomplish them. “She is competitive but not aggressive,” said Smitha about her daughter.
Sarika loves science and aspires to study medicine in the future. Her science teacher, Joan Cachola, and her history teacher, Jonathan Millers, are her favorite teachers. “I am a fairly good student and I make decent grades,” said Sarika.
According to the Scripps National Spelling Bee website, the purpose of this spelling bee is to enrich spelling, advance vocabularies, discover concepts, and instill the proper usage of the English language in the next generation.
“The event was fun and really well organized. They had planned lots of activities and it wasn’t so much a competition against spellers; it felt like we were all friends,” said Rau about her experience.
Familial ties connect Sarika to spelling. At a young age she experienced such events and from there the accidental attraction began.
“My brother (Amrit) competed in spelling bees when I was much younger. I just followed along with it and decided I wanted to try it too and it turned out I was pretty good at it so I kept going,” said Rao.
Which continues to this day because Smitha Rau is her everything in one. With luck, talent, and support anything is possible.“My mom (Smitha) is my mentor and coach. She quizzes me and helps me study,” said Sarika.
Rau is a seventh grader who attends Sierra Vista Middle School in Irvine.
The school posted a statement on their website in regards to the news, “Congratulations to Sarika R., who won the Orange County District spelling bee after 18 lengthy rounds. Sarika competed against 46 other spelling bee finalists from schools throughout the county for this honor and she will get the amazing opportunity to travel all the way to Washington D.C in May to compete in the National Spelling Bee.” Sarika, as an individual, works hard when she sets a goal for herself. She sets goals and strives to accomplish them. “She is competitive but not aggressive,” said Smitha about her daughter.
Sarika loves science and aspires to study medicine in the future. Her science teacher, Joan Cachola, and her history teacher, Jonathan Millers, are her favorite teachers. “I am a fairly good student and I make decent grades,” said Sarika.
According to the Scripps National Spelling Bee website, the purpose of this spelling bee is to enrich spelling, advance vocabularies, discover concepts, and instill the proper usage of the English language in the next generation.
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