- Title: USA: STUDENTS AND PARENTS ARRIVE FOR HIGH-PROFILE SPELLING BEE
- Date: 2nd June 2004
- Summary: WASHINGTON, DC, UNITED STATES (JUNE 2, 2004) (REUTERS) WIDE SHOT OF SPELLING COMPETITION GIRL CHEWING HER NAILS CONTESTANT SPELLING "GUTTURAL" INCORRECTLY ELDERLY WOMAN PRAYING QUIETLY CONTESTANT SAMIR PATEL, AGE 10, ON STAGE SOUNDBITE (English) JYOTI PATEL, MOTHER OF SAMIR, SAYING: "I know he's capable, but I get nervous because I'm the nervous type. I know he can do it. He's not the one who's worried, I'm the one who's worried. " SOUNDBITE (English) SAMIR PATEL SAYING: "I've been really stressed because it's so close to the [spelling] bee. And I've been doing so much, it's been really intensive. But I think I'm ready for it now." MOTHER IN AUDIENCE WITH VIDEO CAMERA BROADCAST CAMERA HANGING FROM CRANE CONTESTANT STEVEN MAHESHWARY, AGE 14, AND MOTHER LISA MAHESHWARY SOUNDBITE (English) STEVEN MAHESHWARY TALKING ABOUT PARENTAL SUPPORT, SAYING: "When you come from a minority, like me, parents want you to do as well as you can. If you don't have supportive parents, then the will has to come from your own. And in this case, it's a really good coincidence because I have a will of my own and my mom really wants me to go far." SOUNDBITE (English) LISA MAHESHWARY SAYING: "And that's what I want. In my days, I was also a gold medalist, I was an all-'A' student, and I just hope that he follows in the same tradition." CONTESTANT AT MICROPHONE CONTESTANT ABHIRAM GUNTURI, BROTHER OF LAST YEAR'S NATIONAL SPELLING CHAMPION, SPELLING "PYROLYZATE" CHILDREN WATCHING ON STAGE SOUNDBITE (English) ABHIRAM GUNTURI BEING ASKED ABOUT BEING PART OF A SPELLING LEGACY, SAYING: "It's sort of good because then everybody knows who you are at the spelling bee." [Reporter asking about the pressure.] GUNTURI SAYING "There's lots of pressure because everyone's like, 'oh, he might win.' And then if you don't win, it's kind of messed up because everybody thinks you're going to win and then you don't." SOUNDBITE (English) ABHIRAM'S FATHER, SARMA GUNTURI, SAYING: "I think the basic thing is how to take defeat. Because we know very well, 264 kids will lose and one guy will be winning or one girl. So the rest of them, they know, even if you're working the whole year, it is a question of one letter -- you're out, and how to take it from there. WIDE SHOT OF STAGE FROM SIDE PROTESTERS OUTSIDE HOTEL WHERE SPELLING BEE IS BEING HELD SIGN READING "SPELLING SHUUD BEE LOJICAL" WOMAN HOLDING SIGN READING "SPELL DIFFERENT DIFRENT" SOUNDBITE (English) ELIZABETH KUIZENGA, MEMBER OF THE 'SIMPLIFIED SPELLING SOCIETY,' SAYING: "It takes years to learn to spell English. Many people never master it in their lifetimes. A lot of people just give up as kids. And the prisons are full of people who are illiterate." SOUNDBITE (English) UNKNOWN PASSERBY CONFRONTING PROTESTERS, SAYING: "The whole point is -- education is what we want for our kids, instead of shooting hoops with a basketball. If they can't spell and be in the world of things, how incredible it is to have this event. I am just shocked to see this protest." PROTESTER HOLDING SIGN READING "ENUF IS ENUF"
- Embargoed: 17th June 2004 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: WASHINGTON, DC, UNITED STATES
- Country: USA
- Topics: Education,Politics,People,Education
- Reuters ID: LVAOJ8P192UV3NPWMAG5EKSNI6H
- Story Text: Students and parents from around the United States have converged on Washington DC for an high-profile spelling competition.
It's a strange tradition: children who spell obscure words in front of hundreds of spectators and a large television audience. But strange or not, the annual National Spelling Bee has once again arrived in Washington, DC.
This year, 265 students from all the U.S. states and territories are participating in the contest. The winner must survive grueling rounds of ever more challenging words as the field is winnowed down to the national champion -- who takes home $17,000 (USD) and a super-sized ego.
Most contestants are between 12 and 15 years old, but a handful are very young. One of those, 10-year old Samir Patel, correctly spelled his second-round word on Tuesday (June 2) even as many older students washed out. Samir's mother, Jyoti Patel, talked about her agitation as she watched her boy.
"I know he's capable, but I get nervous because I'm the nervous type," she said. "I know he can do it. He's not the one who's worried, I'm the one who's worried."
For his part, Samir admitted to feeling some pressure.
"I've been really stressed because it's so close to the bee," he remarked. "And I've been doing so much, it's been really intensive. But I think I'm ready for it now."
Judging by the video cameras and clenched teeth, many parents are just as tense as the participants. 14-year old Steven Maheshwary said he's grateful for his mother's support, adding: "When you come from a minority, like me, parents want you to do as well as you can. If you don't have supportive parents, then the will has to come from your own. And in this case, it's a really good coincidence because I have a will of my own and my mom really wants me to go far."
Remarkably, some families tend to produce multiple extraordinary spellers. Contestant Abhiram Gunturi has two siblings who have competed before: his sister Nivedita tied for eighth place in the 1997 finals and his brother Sai is the 2003 national champion. Says Abhiram: "It's sort of good because then everybody knows who you are at the spelling bee." But he also admits: "There's lots of pressure because everyone's like, 'oh, he might win.' And then if you don't win, it's kind of messed up because everybody thinks you're going to win and then you don't."
The high-profile nature of the competition have made it a forum for spelling-related controversy. Outside the hotel, a handful of protesters from the Simplified Spelling Society carried signs demanding a more phonetic approach to English spelling.
"It takes years to learn to spell English," said Elizabeth Kuizenga.
"Many people never master it in their lifetimes. A lot of people just give up as kids. And the prisons are full of people who are illiterate."
The final rounds of the 2004 National Spelling Bee will be broadcast live on Thursday (June 3). - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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