Dublin Student Advances To Scripps Spelling Bee 2018 Finals

DUBLIN, CA — Two Northern California students are among 16 finalists in the Scripps National Spelling Bee in Washington, D.C. Paul Hamrick, a 14-year-old eighth grader from Monterey, has gotten through eight rounds, spelling the words hawok, rubricate, girasol, bibliopole, astilbe, adiaphonon and orrisroot correctly to be the first Monterey County champion to go to the evening finals, according to the county's Office of Education.

He represented the county in last year's National Bee in Washington, D.C., and made it to the morning finals, finishing in 35th place, according to county education officials.

Anisha Rao, one of three Alameda County students who made it to this year's national spelling bee, is also one of the 16 finalists. A seventh-grader at Eleanor Murray Fallon Elementary School in Dublin, Rao spelled the word escamotage correctly in the eighth round to advance to the evening finals.

Rao and Hamrick are two of three Californians in the finals, with a student from Riverside as the third.
The national spelling bee began earlier this week with 519 students in the preliminary rounds.

By Bay City News

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