Congratulations to our 2018 Winners!
After competing in eight rounds with 51 spellers representing 34 Texas counties, Pranav Chemudupaty, an eighth grader at Nolan Ryan Jr. High in Alvin ISD, emerged as the champion of the 2018 Houston Public Media Spelling Bee. Benjamin Chen, a fifth grader at Sallie Curtis Elementary in Beaumont ISD is the runner-up. The two spellers will advance to the Scripps National Spelling Bee, the week of May 27 – June 1 in the Washington, D.C. area for “Bee Week”.
About Our Winners
Pranav Chemudupaty, Champion
8th Grade, Nolan Ryan Jr. High, Alvin ISD, Pearland, TX
Words Spelled in the Bee
- recuperating
- pathetically
- morpheme
- moniliform
- fustian
- parure
- rheophilic
- oxyacetylene
About the Speller
- Favorite word to spell: Dzaudzhikau (the former name of Vladikavkaz, Russia)
- Favorite book: Pendragon series
- Favorite Non-Electric Games: Table Tennis, Ticket to Ride (board game)
- Favorite Outdoor Activities: Football, Basketball, Cricket
- Future Career: Doctor
- Life advice: “You miss every shot that you don’t take.”
- Influential Teacher: Ms. Isidori. She is a no-nonsense person and gets directly to the facts.
Pranav tied for 5th place in the 2015 Houston Public Media Spelling Bee.
Pranav’s brother, Aditya, was the Houston Public Media Spelling Bee Champion in 2009 and 2010.
Benjamin Chen, Runner Up
5th grade, Sallie Curtis Elementary, Beaumont ISD, Beaumont, TX
Words Spelled in the Bee
- skillet
- ashore
- squiggle
- heath
- dictamina
- siccative
About the Speller
- Favorite word to spell: pulchritude
- Favorite book: My Weirder School series
- Favorite Non-Electric Games: Monopoly
- Favorite Outdoor Activities: Football, Basketball, Cricket
- Future Career: Doctor
- Life advice: “Study harder.”
- Influential Teacher: Ms. Schmidt. She makes me feel confident about doing spelling.
Winning Word
‘oxyacetylene’
- Language of Origin: from Greek-derived and Latin-derived elements; International Scientific Vocabulary oxy- + acetylene
- Part of Speech: adjective
- Definition: of, relating to, or utilizing a mixture of oxygen and acetylene
- Sentence: “The welder used an oxyacetylene torch to unite the metal parts.”
Photos
Photos by HPM