UPDATE:
6th grader from Pearland ISD and 7th grader from Clear Creek ISD win 2013 HoustonPBS Spelling BEE
Shobha Dasari, a student of Pearland ISD and Syamantak Payra, a student of Clear Creek ISD will represent the Southeast Texas region at the Scripps National Spelling Bee in Washington, D.C.
Houston, TX (March 23, 2013) – Shobha Dasari, an 6th grader at Leon Sablatura Middle School in Pearland ISD, and Syamantak Payra, an 7th grader at Westbrook Intermediate School in Clear Creek ISD, are co-champions of the 2013 HoustonPBS Spelling Bee by spelling the winning words – “oolemma” and “ogival.” Both students advance to the Scripps National Spelling Bee, the prestigious climax for the nation’s best spellers, after a tough marathon competition with 55 spellers from 42 counties in the HoustonPBS Bee televised live for over 4 hours on Channel 8, Saturday, March 23, 2013.
With the victory in the HoustonPBS Spelling Bee, the two winners receive an all-expenses-paid trip to Washington, D.C. to represent the Southeast Texas region at the Scripps National Spelling Bee from May 28 – May 30, 2013. They will face 277 contestant spellers from across the country, aiming for victory and prizes worth more than $40,000.
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The HoustonPBS Spelling Bee, now in its fifth year, is the third largest local Bee in the country with 1,040 participating schools.
“Hosting and televising the Houston region’s Spelling Bee is a natural fit,” Houston Public Media Executive Director & General Manager, Lisa Trapani Shumate explains. “Houston Public Media is committed to education and to giving all children the tools they need to learn as well as showcasing their successes. We appreciate the students, parents, teachers and volunteers who help make this possible.”
For more information on the HoustonPBS Spelling Bee, visit www.houstonpbs.org/spellingbee.
The 2013 HoustonPBS Spelling Bee will be televised live from the HoustonPBS Channel 8 Studios at 2pm on Saturday, March 23, 2013.
The top 55 spellers from 1,040 schools in 42 counties, from East Texas to Austin, will contest at the Melcher Center for Public Broadcasting in the University of Houston, Main Campus to win the opportunity to participate in the Scripps National Spelling Bee, the nation’s long-standing educational promotion since 1925.
Eager spellers advance from a challenging series of school, district, and regional spelling bees that have over 100,000 competing students from the elementary to 8th grade level. HoustonPBS is the first public broadcaster and the third largest local sponsor of the Scripps National Spelling Bee. This is the fourth successful year of the HoustonPBS Spelling Bee.
The final champion of the HoustonPBS Spelling Bee wins an all-expenses-paid trip for two to Washington, D.C. to represent Houston at the Scripps National Spelling Bee during Bee Week, May 28 through May 30, 2013. The grand prize of the 2013 national contest carries a prestigious victory along with over $40,000 in cash and other prizes.
The Spelling Bee aims to enrich the language skills of students across the nation with a focus on better spelling, richer vocabulary and correct English usage –skills that will take them to better opportunities in life. Bee participation also provides confidence-building experience in public-speaking skills.
To view the complete list of finalists visit click here.
(This post is from a release sent to me by Houston PBS KUHT)
