The 2010 National Spelling Bee provides some nail biting tension in this otherwise serene household. Sadly, Vanya Shivashankar, eight years old and the youngest entrant, did not qualify for the semifinals. Her big sister, last year’s champion, advanced to the nationals twice before finally winning the title on her third try. There’s time for Vanya to improve.
Andrew Grose, an eighth grader making his second appearance and the local favorite in Madison, advanced to the semifinals. We’ll be cheering him on today.
Semifinals start 10am EDT (broadcast live on ESPN), finals at 7pm EDT (live on ABC).
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[For more on the youngest contestant and her family, read Ben Paynter's, Why Are Indian Kids So Good at Spelling, a look at the roots of Indian-American dominance in the Bee, in Slate this week.]
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