Edmond speller places second in bee
Although he didn’t win the Scripps National Spelling Bee, an Edmond student says he will never forget the experience.
Rohan Rajeev, 14, misspelled the word “marram,” a type of beach grass, and placed second in the bee in Washington, D.C. He had been spelling for about 12 hours that day.
“It was a short word, which made it much harder,” Rohan said. The word was of Scandinavian origin, which he said made it even more difficult.
“I was getting more tired towards the end when it was just her and I on stage,” he said. “I just continued to pray every chance I had.”
After hearing the ring of the bell, Rohan sat down and planted his face in his hands. He knew that he had finished second.
“I could not recall the word,” Rohan said. He said he continued to thank Jesus for bringing him to the final round.
He received a $30,000 check for placing second.
“It was great though to see that hard work does pay off.”
The winner was sixthgrader Ananya Vinay from California. She spelled “gifblaar” and “marocain” to secure the win.
“He did cry last night when he called,” said his mother, Susie Rajeev. “Coming in second was very hard for him.”
All she could do Thursday night was get on her knees and pray, she said. His school organized people to be praying throughout the competition, as well.
Rohan said his sister, Raina Rajeev, 17, began teaching him the alphabet when he was 2 years old.
“She is what motivated me and inspired me to do what I am doing,” he said.
She would quiz Rohan on words and letters, until she became ill after a vaccine complication whenshe was 5 years old.
“It was a huge thing for him when that happened,” Susie Rajeev said.
Since then Rohan has helped his sister, who is unable to speak clearly and uses a wheelchair, but said the time she spent helping him learn to spell was crucial.
“He has a huge platform that God has given him,” his mother said. “God put people there in his life at the right time.”
Rohan would commonly awake at 5 a.m. to practice for two hours before school, then resume his spelling drills with his mother for six hours in the evening.
“He would only get up to go to the bathroom or get a snack,” Susie Rajeev said.
The weekends were no different, with Rohan getting up at 5 a.m. and working on his spelling until 11 p.m., with a two-hour break for church on Sunday.
“He always wants to come in on top and nothing less,” Susie Rajeev said.
Rohan has no plans to compete in another spelling bee. He will be shadowing a neurosurgeon this summer, as his education plans include medical school.
If Rohan would have won, he would have been the first winner from Oklahoma since 1965. He was sponsored in the national bee by