Spelling bee begins today
MAUREEN DOLAN | Hagadone News Network | UPDATED 12 years, 7 months AGO
COEUR d'ALENE - It's bee week.
A Woodland Middle School student is in Washington, D.C., to represent North Idaho at the Scripps National Spelling Bee.
Sarah-Jessica Sedy, 14, is among 278 spellers from throughout the United States who will be competing in the annual spelling contest that begins today.
The eighth-grader became eligible for the national competition when she won the regional spelling bee hosted in March by North Idaho College. All expenses for Sarah-Jessica and one adult's trip to the nation's capital are paid for by The Coeur d'Alene Press.
Sarah-Jessica credits her spelling skill to the large amount of reading she has done growing up.
"I also think it just comes naturally," Sarah-Jessica said.
That hasn't kept her from studying hard in preparation for the national bee. She said she has spent two hours a day on school days and three hours each weekend day reviewing words.
"I learn by just seeing the words," she said.
Sarah-Jessica is one of 93 young spellers for whom this will be their first visit to Washington, D.C. It's Sarah-Jessica's first trip to the eastern United States.
She said she was looking forward to meeting the other spellers, and attending a Memorial Day picnic with them on Monday.
"That should be really fun," Sara-Jessica said.
The spelling bee's preliminary rounds get under way today with a written test for all competitors, and then continue Wednesday with two more preliminary rounds which will be broadcast online on ESPN3.com.
The top-scoring 50 spellers to get through all three preliminary rounds will continue to the semifinal rounds will be held Thursday from 7 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. PDT, and will be broadcast live on ESPN2.
The championship finals also take place Thursday, from 5-7 p.m. PDT, and will be broadcast live on ESPN.
The winner of the Scripps National Spelling Bee goes home with a grand prize of $30,000 cash and an engraved trophy from Scripps along with several smaller prizes.
Competitors must be in eighth grade or younger.
This is the 10th year The Press has sponsored the North Idaho regional spelling champ's trip to the national spelling bee.
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