“Transcendental” was the winning word of the Middle School Spelling Bee finals on Friday, Feb. 1. Correctly spelled by Ella Ludwig (pictured on the left), Class of 2023, Ella moves on to compete in The San Diego Union-Tribune Countywide Spelling Bee in March. The winner of the county bee will represent San Diego at the 2019 Scripps National Spelling Bee in Washington, D.C. in May.
Eden Smith (pictured on the right), Class of 2024, is Middle School’s bee runner up, both competitors fought through multiple rounds of very challenging words. Parker has been participating in the Spelling Bee since 2012. The Scripps National Spelling Bee is for middle school students in Grades 6, 7, and 8 testing their expansive vocabulary and spelling skills. In 2012, Parker alumna Snigdha Nandipati ’14 encouraged Parker to partake in the Bee competition. That year Snigdha won Parker’s Bee, the County Bee and ultimately the National Spelling Bee.
The Spelling Bee is part of a number of academic competitions that Parker’s Middle School students enjoy participating including the Geography Bee, quiz bowl, math team, and History Day.
“Being able to watch students like Ella participate in academic competitions like the Spelling Bee is such a highlight for me!” says Kristy Keith, Middle School teacher and Spelling Bee coordinator. “Regardless of the competition, I’m always so impressed with our students’ poise, intellect, and grace; it makes me so proud to be a part of this community!”
