Spelling bee winner triumphs with 'whimsically'

By: CATHY REDFERN - Staff Writer
Fifth-grader wins district competition | Wednesday, January 30, 2008 11:34 PM PST ∞

MENIFEE -- A fifth-grader captured first place in the Menifee Union School District spelling bee Wednesday with a perfect recitation of 'whimsically' in a performance scant on whimsy, but replete with determination and confidence.

Caroline Skari, 10, a student at Callie Kirkpatrick Elementary School, outspelled more than 40 other students in fourth through eighth grades. She will go on to the countywide spelling competition March 19 in Moreno Valley.

The runner-up was Brian Zhao, a seventh-grader at Belle Mountain Middle School. Zhao, 11, stumbled on "webelos," a term used in Cub Scouts.

Skari and Zhao went neck and neck from Round 11 to Round 16, jousting over words such as "tinnient," "jackanapes," "glossopathy" and "jambeau."

Both took home trophies.

Caroline and her parents, Bob and Marissa Skari, said she studied every day since winning the contest at Callie Kirkpatrick. In the last several days, she had been writing the 1,009 words on her intermediate and advanced word lists over and over again.

A jubilant Caroline said that, nevertheless, it was a miracle. It also helped banish her memory of last year, when she lost in Round 2 by misspelling 'abash.'

"When I saw the advanced list, I said, 'I can't do this,'" she said. "Look at me now!"

A clearly disappointed Zhao said he thought he knew how to spell 'Webelos,' but went against his instinct by placing an 'i' as the second letter.

"I should have gotten first place," he said.

The third best speller Wednesday was Angelo Esguerra, a seventh-grade student at Menifee Valley Middle School. Esguerra exited in the 10th round when he spelled "trattoria" with an 'e' as the first vowel.

The contest was held at Evans Ranch Elementary School.

The annual districtwide competition featured 44 students, the leaders in contests at their schools. Each of the district's seven elementary schools sent two students from each fourth- and fifth-grade level and the district's two middle schools sent three students from each grade level.

All the spellers got the same words, regardless of their grade levels, words provided by the county Office of Education. The students have had the lists to study since November, organizers said.

The youngster who prevails at the county spelling bee will be eligible for the national competition.

-- Contact staff writer Cathy Redfern at (951) 676-4315, Ext. 2621, or e-mail credfern@californian.com.

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