Daily Local News (West Chester, PA)
West Chester student takes first place in Chester County Spelling Bee
DOWNINGTOWN >> Christian Miller, a Stetson Middle School student, achieved first place in the 2023 Chester County Spelling Bee on Tuesday, Feb. 7. Miller spelled his way to victory with the winning word “formulaic” (FO-R-M-U-L-A-I-C). His victory qualifies him to compete in the Scripps National Spelling Bee in National Harbor, MD, this coming May.
Also placing in this year’s Chester County Spelling Bee were Gautam Mannem of Unionville-Chadds Ford School District (second place), Michelle Wallace from Pennsylvania Leadership Charter School (third place) and Aarush Kumar of Trefyffrin-Easttown School District (third place).
Each participant earned the invitation to compete in the Chester County Spelling Bee by winning their individual school’s spelling bee. Students prepared for the county competition by studying Scripps-provided word lists and practicing at home. “I’m glad that the studying paid off,” Miller said when asked how he felt about his victory. “I
gave the list to my mom; she said practice words and I spelled them.” Miller doesn’t know how he’ll prepare for the next stage of his spelling career, but he’s pleasantly surprised to have made it this far.
As champion, Miller received the Samuel Louis Sugarman Award certificate, a one-year subscription to Merriam Webster Unabridged Online, a one-year subscription to Encyclopedia Britannica Online and a $50 Barnes and Noble gift card. The second-place winner received a Wordle board game and a $50 Amazon gift card, and the third-place winners received a Scrabble board game and a $25 Amazon gift card.
The Chester County Spelling Bee is a qualifying competition for the Scripps National Spelling Bee, where competitors from across the country gather to spell their way to the top. The 2023 Chester County Spelling Bee was coordinated by the Chester County Intermediate Unit (CCIU) and sponsored by CCRES — Educational and Behavioral Health Services.