spelling bee 2009 winner
Congratulations to Kayva Shivashankar, the National Spelling Bee 2009 Winner.. S
he is 13 and a budding neurosurgeon (I don't even think I was budding at 13) and won a huge trophy and a $40,000 cash prize. This is not Kayva's first appearance in the bee. She wins after her fourth attempt - finishing 10th, 8th and 4th in the prior years. This is a young woman with a mission.
I remember that mission well. In 1969, I too was 13. The picture above is the best I could do on short notice to represent age 13. Probably my Confirmation. I too was a first rate speller. On the fast track to the Washington DC National Bee. But something went horribly wrong.
My school, St. Martin of Tours in Amityville, Long Island (yes, THAT Amityville. as in "horror") made such a big deal of my participation in the Long Island finals. During morning announcements the day of the bee, the entire school was asked to say a prayer on my behalf.
he is 13 and a budding neurosurgeon (I don't even think I was budding at 13) and won a huge trophy and a $40,000 cash prize. This is not Kayva's first appearance in the bee. She wins after her fourth attempt - finishing 10th, 8th and 4th in the prior years. This is a young woman with a mission.I remember that mission well. In 1969, I too was 13. The picture above is the best I could do on short notice to represent age 13. Probably my Confirmation. I too was a first rate speller. On the fast track to the Washington DC National Bee. But something went horribly wrong.
My school, St. Martin of Tours in Amityville, Long Island (yes, THAT Amityville. as in "horror") made such a big deal of my participation in the Long Island finals. During morning announcements the day of the bee, the entire school was asked to say a prayer on my behalf.
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