WHRO Public Media Spelling Bee 2024
Special | 2h 20m 33sVideo has Closed Captions
Fifty students from across the region compete in the 2024 WHRO Public Media Spelling Bee.
Fifty middle school students from across the region compete in the WHRO Public Media Spelling Bee for the opportunity to represent our area in the Scripps National Spelling Bee. The winner of the WHRO Spelling Bee receives a trophy, a personalized iPad Mini, and an expenses-paid trip to the national competition.
Problems playing video? | Closed Captioning Feedback
Problems playing video? | Closed Captioning Feedback
WHRO Presents is a local public television program presented by WHRO Public Media
WHRO Public Media Spelling Bee 2024
Special | 2h 20m 33sVideo has Closed Captions
Fifty middle school students from across the region compete in the WHRO Public Media Spelling Bee for the opportunity to represent our area in the Scripps National Spelling Bee. The winner of the WHRO Spelling Bee receives a trophy, a personalized iPad Mini, and an expenses-paid trip to the national competition.
Problems playing video? | Closed Captioning Feedback
How to Watch WHRO Presents
WHRO Presents is available to stream on pbs.org and the free PBS App, available on iPhone, Apple TV, Android TV, Android smartphones, Amazon Fire TV, Amazon Fire Tablet, Roku, Samsung Smart TV, and Vizio.
(bright music) (upbeat music) (audience applauds) - Good afternoon and welcome to the 2024 WHRO Public Media Spelling Bee.
I'm Bert Schmidt, it's our 17th bee and every year I'm more and more impressed with these bright and poised students Now we have 50 spellers from across Hampton Roads and Northeast North Carolina representing both public and private schools.
They've each won their schools Bee, and they're here today with just one thing in mind, being the last speller standing and advancing to the Scripps National Spelling Bee.
I know they're all eager, so let's get started.
- Hello, I'm Raymond Jones, your host for today's Bee.
Along with our champions in the studio we have a teleconference center full of proud parents wishing good luck to their spellers.
And joining us for her 17th year is writer, editor and president of Friends of the Norfolk Public Library, Bobby Fisher, our pronouncer.
Now onto the first round of today's competition, speller number one, please step to the microphone and tell us your full name, first and last name, and the name of the school you are representing.
- My name is Zachary Jonas and I'm representing Paige Middle School.
- Zachary, your word has a homonym or could be confused with another word.
The word is pear.
It's a noun referring to the fleshy oblong fruit of a tree that's generally larger at one end and has grit cells throughout the flesh, pear.
- Pear, P E A R. - That's correct.
- [Raymond] Alright, the next speller, come on up.
Let's have first and last name and where you go to school.
- I'm Emmeline Williams and I'm representing Summit Christian Academy today - [Bobby] Your word is Apology.
- Apology.
A-P-O-L-O-G-Y, apology.
- [Randy] That's correct.
- [Raymond] And our next speller, your turn to come on up.
Tell us about yourself and your school.
- My name is Nyla Patterson, and the school I'm representing Churchland Elementary School.
- Your word has a homonym or could be confused with another.
The word is astonished.
It's a verb meaning to strike with a sudden sense of surprise or wonder, especially through something unexpected or difficult to accept as true or reasonable.
To surprise greatly to amaze.
Astonish.
- A-S-T-O-N-I-S-H, astonish.
- [Randy] That's correct.
- [Raymond] Let's find out about our next speller.
Come on up.
Let's have a first and last name and where you go to school.
- My name is Dalis McNair and today I will re, sorry.
Today I will be representing for Ella Fitzgerald Middle School.
- Your word also has a homonym or could be confused with another, the word is bias.
It's a noun and it means an inclination of temperament or outlook.
Prejudice.
Bias - Bias.
B-I-A-S-E-D. - [Randy] Sorry.
That's incorrect.
- [Raymond] And speller number six.
Come on up.
Let's find out about you and where you go to school.
- My name is Daniel Reyes and I represent Indian River Middle School.
- And you also have a homonym or a word that could be confused with another.
The word is daft.
It's an adjective meaning silly or foolish.
Daft.
- Can you use that word in a sentence?
- Don't be daft, Hilda told her daughter when she asked whether they could eat the potatoes raw along with the carrots - Daft.
D A F T, daft.
- [Randy] That's correct.
- [Raymond] And time for spelling number seven, to tell us about yourself and where you go to school.
- Hello, my name is Xander Parker and I'll be representing Booker T. Washington Middle.
- And you also have a homonym.
The word is divine.
It's an adjective meaning supremely good or admirable - Divine.
D-I-V-I-N-E. Divine.
- That's correct.
- [Raymond] Speller number eight.
First and last name and which school do you represent?
- My name is Damien Sanchez Mendoza, and I go to Princess Ann Middle School.
- [Bobby] Your word is giggle.
- Can you use that in a sentence?
- Even when her children giggle loudly during a game of hide and seek in the house, Mrs. Welsh pretends that she simply cannot find them.
- Can you repeat the word please?
- [Bobby] Giggle.
- Giggle.
G-I-G-G-L-E?
- [Randy] That's correct.
- [Raymond] And let's hear from the speller number nine about your first and last name and where you go to school.
- My name is Sydney Otoo, and I'll be representing Stonebridge School.
- [Bobby] Your word is scalp.
- Scalp, can I have the definition of that word?
- It's the part of the covering of the human head usually covered with hair - Scalp.
S-C-A-L-P, scalp?
- [Randy] That's correct.
- [Raymond] And speller number 10.
Let's have a first and last name and the name of your school.
- My name is Amarachukwusom Nwokoji and I represent Landstown Middle School.
- [Bobby] Your word is galley.
- Can you use that in a sentence?
- The restored 18th century galley is on display in the harbor.
- Can I get all the information for that word?
- It is a low, large, usually one decked ship propelled by both sails and oars.
Typically being one to 200 feet long, often having 20 oars on each side with many rowers to each ore and used throughout medieval times, especially in the Mediterranean, galley.
- Galley.
G-A-L-L-E-Y, galley?
- [Randy] That's correct.
- [Raymond] Now let's hear from speller number 11 to find out who you are or where you go to school.
- My name is Caitlyn Fabiani, and I go to Smithfield Middle School.
- [Bobby] Your word is cidary.
- Can you use that in a sentence?
- Nothing captures the essence of autumn better than the aroma of a cidary in September.
- Cidary, C-I-D-E-R-Y?
- [Randy] That's correct.
- [Raymond] And now just speller number 12.
Let's find out all about you.
- My name is Adriell Hiton and I'm representing Elizabeth City Middle School.
- And you have a homonym or word that could be confused with another, your word is collie.
It's a noun and it refers to a dog of a breed developed in Scotland and used for generations in herding sheep standing 20 to 24 inches at the shoulder weighing 50 to 60 pounds, collie.
- Collie, C-O-L-L-E-Y, collie.
- [Randy] I'm sorry it's incorrect.
- [Raymond] Spelled on number 14.
Let's have a name and where you go to school.
- I am Marcos Puente and I go to Peasley Middle School.
- You also have a homonym here or a word that could be confused.
The word is grapple.
It's a verb and it means to attempt to deal to cope.
- Can I hear that word in a sentence please?
- [Bobby] The book tries to grapple with the question of why so many are hungry while so much food is wasted.
- Grapple, G-R-A-P-P-E-L, grapple.
- Sorry, that's incorrect.
- [Raymond] Speller number 15.
Let us hear about you and your school.
- My name is Darcy Feng, and I'm representing Hampton Notes Academy.
- [Bobby] Your word is yammer - Yammer.
Y-A-M-M-E-R. - [Randy] That's correct.
- [Raymond] And to speller number 17.
Let's have and then where you go to school.
- My name is Adalynn Barbeu.
And I'm representing River Road Middle School.
- [Bobby] Your word is Foothills.
- Foothills.
F-O-O-T-H-I-L-L-S. Foothills.
- [Randy] That's correct.
- [Raymond] And now spelling number 18, coming up to the microphone, let's hear about you.
- I'm Lindsay Batkin and I'm representing St. Patrick Catholic School.
- You also have a homonym.
The word is element, it's a noun, meaning one of the simple substances, air, water, fire, and earth.
Of which according to early philosophers the physical universe was composed, element - Element E-L-E-M-E-N-T.
Element.
- [Randy] That's correct.
- [Raymond] Speller 19, it's your turn to tell us all about yourself.
- My name is Gabriella Velazquez, and I'm representing for Brandon middle school.
- And you also have a homonym or a word that can be confused with another.
The word is encore.
It's a noun and it means the further appearance of a performer or an additional performance requested by an audience, encore.
- Is that the definition or the sentence?
- The definition is the further appearance of a performer or an additional performance requested by an audience.
- Can I get it in a sentence please?
- [Bobby] Sure, the audience members were so thrilled by the singer's rendition of the aria that they cheered for an encore.
- Encore, O-N-C-O-A-R. Encore.
- I'm sorry, that's incorrect.
- [Raymond] And we're up to spell of number 20.
Come on up.
- My name is Catherine Cross and I am representing Nansemond Suffolk Academy.
- [Bobby] Your word is surly.
- Can I get that in a definition please?
- It means ill natured, abrupt and rude.
- Can I have a sentence please?
- Marie complained to the manager about the surly uncooperative clerk, - S-U-R-L-Y, surly?
- [Randy] That's correct.
- [Raymond] And the speller number 21.
Let's find that all about you.
- My name is Milud Gizman and I'll be representing Larkspur Middle School.
- Your word has a homonym or could be confused with another word.
The word is lawyer, it's a noun and it refers to one whose profession is to conduct lawsuits for clients or to advise as to the prosecution or defense of lawsuits or as to legal rights or obligations in other matters, lawyer.
- Lawyer.
L-A-W-Y-E-R. Lawyer.
- [Randy] That's correct.
- [Raymond] Now we're up to speller number 22.
Come on to the microphone please.
- My name is Zoey Novella and I represent Kempville Middle School.
- [Bobby] Your word is modify.
- Modify.
M-O-D-I-F-Y, modify.
- [Randy] That's correct.
- [Raymond] And is here from Speller 23.
Come on up.
- My name is Cailey Turner, and I am representing Star of the Sea Catholic School.
- And you have a homonym here or one that could be confused with another.
The word is freckle.
It's a noun and it means a small browner spot in the skin usually due to exposure to sunlight, freckle - Freckle.
F-R-E-C-K-L-E, freckle.
- [Randy] That's correct.
- [Raymond] And number 24, come on up.
Tell us first name and last name and where you go to school.
- My name is Aiden Thomas and I'll be representing Hickory Middle School.
- Your word also is a homonym or one that could be confused with another.
The word is quirky.
It's an adjective that means full of peculiarities of action, behavior or bearing, quirky.
- Quirky.
Q-U-I-R-K-Y?
- [Randy] That's correct.
- [Raymond] And let's hear from speller number 25.
- My name is Claire Criddle and I will be representing James Blair Middle School.
- [Bobby] And another homonym here or a word that could be confused, sterling.
It's an adjective meaning of full value or first quality conforming to the highest standard or genuine, sterling.
- S-T-E-R-L-I-N-G. Sterling.
- [Randy] That's correct.
- [Raymond] Speller number 26.
Tell us all about yourself.
- Hi, my name is Nina Terzic, and I'm representing Tabb Middle School.
- And you have a homonym or a word that could be confused.
The word is gizzard.
It's a noun and it means the muscular enlargement of the elementary canal of birds that immediately follows the crop is best developed in seed eating birds typically has thick muscular walls and a tough horny lining and serves to grind the food, gizzard.
- Are there any alternate pronunciations?
- [Bobby] Just the one.
- Okay.
Gizzard.
G-I-Z-Z-A-R-D?
- [Randy] That's correct.
- [Raymond] And we'll hear it now from speller number 27.
Come on up.
- Hi, my name is Peyton Laroche.
I'm representing Gloria Day Lutheran School.
- [Bobby] Your word is proposal.
- Could I get a definition for that?
- It's something put forward for consideration or acceptance.
A suggestion or a motion, proposal.
- Okay, proposal.
P-R-O-P-O-S-A-L. Proposal.
- [Randy] That's correct.
- [Raymond] And number 28, let's have that first and last name and where you go to school.
- My name is Ashley Ramnarine, and I'll be representing Westside Elementary.
- [Bobby] Your word is spreadsheet.
- Can you use that in a sentence?
- Carolyn used color to fill the columns in the spreadsheet so it was easy for her to see different data.
- Spreadsheet.
S-P-R-E-A-D-S-H-E-E-T.
Spreadsheet.
- [Randy] That's correct.
- [Raymond] And time to find out about spelling number 29 with a first and last name and the school.
- I am Andrew Lee and I'm here on behalf of the Academy for Discovery at Lakewood.
- Your word is amusement.
- A-M-U-S-E-M-E-N-T. Amusement.
- [Randy] That's correct.
- [Raymond] Spelled on number 30.
As we roll along, come on up and find out who you are, where you go to school.
- My name is Zhuri Woodley, and I'm representing Western Branch Middle School.
- [Bobby] Your word is shaggy.
- Can I have a definition?
- It means covered with possessing or consisting of unusually long, coarse or matted hair, shaggy - Shaggy.
S-H-A-G-G-Y.
Shaggy.
- That's correct.
- [Raymond] And time now to find out all about speller number 31.
- I'm Kymani Artis and I'm representing Lake Taylor School.
- You have a homonym here, a word that could be confused with another.
Your word is graham.
It's an adjective.
It means made holy or largely of whole wheat flour.
Graham.
- Oh graham, G-R-A-M. Graham.
- [Randy] Sorry.
That's incorrect.
- [Raymond] Speller number 32.
Come on up to the microphone.
Tell us about yourself.
- My name is Sara Tomlinson and I'm representing Queens Lake Middle School.
- [Bobby] Your word is merely - Merely.
M-E-R-E-L-Y, merely - [Randy] That's correct.
- [Raymond] And speller number 33.
Let's hear about you.
- My name is Carter Fantozzi, and I'll be representing St. Matthew's Catholic School.
- [Bobby] Your word is frontier.
- May you please use it in a sentence please.
- Daniel Boone is famous for having explored the American Frontier.
- Frontier.
F-R-O-N-T-I-E-R. Frontier.
- That's correct.
- [Raymond] Speller number 34.
Come on up to the mic and let's find out first and last name and where you go to school.
- My name is Bella Gou, and I'm representing Grafton Middle School.
- Your word has a homonym or could be confused with another.
The word is toastmaster.
It's a noun and it means one who presides at a banquet and introduces the after dinner speakers, toastmaster.
- Can you use it in a sentence?
- Eric will serve as toastmaster at the golden lamp banquet.
- Toastmaster.
T-O-A-S-T-M-A-S-T-E-R. Toastmaster.
- [Randy] That's correct.
- [Raymond] And speller number 35 come on up.
Let's find out about you.
First and last name and where you go to school.
- My name is Aiden Wyrick.
I am here representing Mary Passages Middle School.
- Alright, you have a homonym here or a word that could be confused with another.
The word is kennel.
It's a noun and it means a house for a dog or a pack of hounds, kennel.
- K-E-N-N-E-L. - That's correct.
- [Raymond] And spell speller number 36.
Come on up it's your turn to tell us all about you.
- My name is Jayden Winnington, and I'm representing JFK Middle school.
- [Bobby] Your word is traverse.
- Traverse.
May I get the definition?
- It means to go or travel across or over.
- May you use it in a sentence please.
- Jacques and his family will traverse the heart of Yosemite National Park on their yearly hike.
- Okay, traverse.
Is it T-R-A-V-E-R-S-E?
- [Randy] That is correct.
- [Raymond] And here speller number 37 as we find out all about you.
- I am Jackson Hewes and I represent Lynnhaven Middle School.
- And you also have a homonym here.
The word is scrooge, it's a noun and it means a miserly person.
- Could you use that in a sentence please?
- Devon was a scrooge who would rather be cold in the winter than pay to turn on the heat.
- Scrooge.
S-C-R-O-O-G-E. Scrooge?
- [Randy] That's correct.
- [Raymond] And here speller number 38.
We'll find out first and last name, where you go to school.
- Right, my name is Sean Lawrence Java, and I am representing King's Fork Middle School.
- [Bobby] Your word is awry.
- May I have a definition please?
- It means something that's wrong or amiss.
- Awry, A-W-R-Y.
Awry.
- [Randy] Correct.
- [Raymond] And speller number 39 come on up to the microphone.
- Hi, I'm Hiya Singh, and I'm representing Yorktown Middle School.
- [Bobby] Your word is ferret.
- May I have the definition?
- It's a semi domesticated variety of the European pole cat that's usually albino with red eyes and is much used for hunting rodents in Europe.
- Ferret, F-E-R-R-E-T. Ferret.
- That's correct.
- [Raymond] And we're rolling right along.
Speller number 41, come on up.
- My name is Anthony Petty, representing Corporate Landing Middle School.
- [Bobby] Your word is dribbles.
- Could you use that in a sentence please?
- As a midfielder, Shane receives the pass from a defender and then dribbles the ball toward a forward.
- Can I get the definition please?
- Propels and maintains control of a ball or puck by successive slight taps or bounces with a hand, foot or stick - Dribbles.
D-R-I-B-B-L-E-S. Dribbles.
- [Randy] That's correct.
- [Raymond] And number 42, come on up and tell us about yourself.
- Rohith Konduri, from Norfolk Academy.
- Your word has a homonym or could be confused with another.
The word is foosball.
It's a noun and it refers to a table game resembling soccer in which the ball is moved by manipulating rods to which small figures of players are attached.
- Foosball, could you please repeat the definition?
- A table game resembling soccer in which the ball is moved by manipulating rods to which small players, small figures of players are attached.
It's also called table soccer.
- Foosball.
F-O-O-S-B-A-L-L. Foosball.
- [Randy] That's correct.
- Thank you.
- [Raymond] As we turn to speller number 43 to find out all about you, - My name is Alexa Gangcuangco.
and I will be representing St. Pius the 10th Catholic school.
- And you have a homonym or a word that could be confused with another.
It's borders, it's a plural noun.
And it refers to people who are provided with regular meals or regular meals as well as lodging, borders.
- Can you use that in a sentence please?
- Sure, Marissa and her husband were interested in filling some of their spare rooms with borders in order to have an additional of income.
- Borders.
B-O-A-R-D-E-R-S.
Borders?
- [Randy] That's correct.
- [Raymond] And to speller number 44, let's hear about you first and last name and where you go to school.
- My name is Keith Burton and I are presenting Bayside Sixth Grade Campus.
- Alright, this word has a homonym or could be confused with another.
The word is musings.
It's a plural noun and it means spoken or written discourses treated in a contemplative manner and intended to express their author's reflections, musings.
- Can you use in a sentence, - Ula was thoroughly tired of listening to Freddy's musings about the new Star Wars TV show.
- Musings.
M-U-S-E-I-N-G-S. - I'm sorry, that's incorrect.
- [Raymond] And speller number 45 come on up to the mic, let's hear about you.
- My name is Poppy Randall and I'm representing Plaza Middle School.
- The word also is a homonym or could be confused with another.
The word is ewe, it's a noun and it refers to the female sheep, especially when mature Ewe.
- Ewe.
E-W-E. Ewe.
- [Randy] That's correct.
- [Raymond] And speller number 46.
Come on up to the mic.
- My name is Corey Zheng and I'm representing Thomas Hunter Middle School.
- Your word is also a homonym or could be confused with another.
Your word is digression.
It's a noun meaning the act of turning aside from the main subject of attention in a discourse or literary work, digression.
- Digression.
D-I-G-R-E-S-S-I-O-N. Digression.
- [Randy] That's correct.
- [Raymond] And number 47.
Come on up to the mic.
Let's find out all about you.
- My name is Poppy Purton, and I'm representing Virginia Beach Middle School.
- [Bobby] Your word is hurriedly.
- Could you use it in a sentence please?
- Mr. Martin hurriedly left the store after he received a text alert that a severe storm was approaching - Hurriedly.
H-U-R-R-I-E-D-L-Y?
- [Randy] That's correct.
- [Raymond] Speller number 48.
Come on up to the mic.
Let's hear all about you.
- Kellan Harrison, Norfolk Collegian School.
- [Bobby] Your word is influential.
- Influential.
Am I saying that correctly?
- [Bobby] Influential.
- Can you say it in a sentence?
- Some art historians consider Pablo Picasso the most influential artist of the 20th century.
- Influential, I-N-F-L-U-E-N-T-I-A-L?
- [Randy] That's correct.
- [Raymond] And speller number 49.
Come on up to the mic please.
- My name is Sylvana Alzate, and I'm representing Cape Henry Collegiate.
- [Bobby] Your word is dialect.
- Can you use it in a sentence please?
- Tatia's Mom had difficulty understanding the local dialect because of the sound of the vowels - Dialect.
D-I-A-L-E-C-T. Dialect?
- [Randy] That's correct.
- [Raymond] And speller number 51.
Let's find out about you and your school.
- I'm Herbert Opoku, and I'm representing John Yeats Middle school.
- [Bobby] Your word is agitation.
- Can you gimme the definition?
- [Bobby] Pardon - The definition?
- Oh, I'm sorry, it's mental excitement or emotional perturbation.
A tremulous and disturbed state.
- Can you put it in a sentence please?
- [Bobby] When Ty spoke his agitation at his team's loss was obvious.
- Agitation.
A-G-I-T-A-T-I-O-N. - [Randy] That's correct.
- [Raymond] Speller number 52.
We're gonna find out all about you and your school.
- My name is Camille Reed and I'm representing South Hampton Middle School.
- [Bobby] Your word is enviable.
- Can you use that in the definition?
- [Bobby] It means highly desirable.
- Can you say the word again?
- [Bobby] Enviable.
- E-N-V-I-A-B-L-E. - [Randy] That's correct.
- [Raymond] Speller number 53 Up to the microphone.
Let's find out about you.
- Hello, my name is Sahasra Vishwanathan, and I represent Princeton Middle School.
- [Bobby] Your word is flexitarian.
- Could you repeat the word again please?
- [Bobby] Flexitarian.
- Could I get the definition?
- It's one who's normally meatless diet occasionally includes meats or fish.
- Can I also get it in a sentence please?
- Having reduced her meat intake to once or twice a week, Isabelle now considers herself a flexitarian.
- Could you repeat the word one more time please?
- [Bobby] Flexitarian - Flexitarian.
F-L-E-X-A-T-A-R-I-A-N. Flexitarian - Sorry that's incorrect.
- [Raymond] And speller 54.
Come on up to the mic.
Tell us first and last name where you go to school.
- I'm Townes McDonald and I attend Brickell Academy at Old Donation school.
- Your word is Twilight.
- Twilight.
T-W-I-L-I-G-H-T.
Twilight?
- [Randy] That's correct.
- [Raymond] And the last speller in our first round is speller number 55.
Come on up to that mic please.
- My name is Junie Bradley, and I'm representing Atlantic Shores Christian School.
- [Bobby] Your word is Capacity.
- Capacity.
Can you use it in a sentence please?
- Ala wondered whether her cat lacked the capacity to learn to follow commands or if he was just uninterested - Capacity.
C-A-P-A-C-I-T-Y.
Capacity.
- [Randy] That's correct.
- Thus ends the first round in today's 2024 WHRO Spelling Bee.
Great students, great spellers each one a champion in his or her own right.
And we'll be right back with the spelling bee.
Keep on watching.
(upbeat music) (rock music) - Hi, my name's Jason Kibrose.
And I'm here with Bert Schmidt, and Bert we are in between rounds right now.
What an exciting first round - It was, just watching the kids spell that first round.
Got to get all the nerves out.
You know it's tough that first time on TV.
but now we see how many rounds we'll go.
- Absolutely, and now earlier you said 17 years, it's the 17th year, correct?
- It is 17 years.
The kids have gotten better every year.
It's just an exciting event every year so it's really fun.
- Absolutely and I mean, I don't mean to sound corny but I know it's a spelling bee and there is a buzz of excitement in the building everywhere you look.
Everyone's engaged in this - Really throughout the building and the viewers don't see it all, but you got the parents, you got the crew, you of course got the spellers.
The whole place is a buzz with the spelling bee.
- No doubt we would not be doing our job if we weren't trying to play those puns off I don't think.
I'm taking Raymond's job here with all the puns.
- That's okay, Raymond.
It's okay.
We're we're coming back to you but I don't know if I could have made it through the first round and I'm really excited to see what the second round brings.
- Yeah, it'll be interesting to see the words just get harder as the bee goes on.
So they've gone through the first run and all those nerves and introduced themselves.
now as we get into the meat of those words.
- That's right.
Well I'm excited to see where this goes.
I know you are too.
And I know you are as well.
So let's take it back to the bee - Spelling Bee officials include the Pronouncer, record keepers and judges.
Judges rule on responses provided by spellers during the bee and maintain a thorough knowledge of the Spelling Bee rules so they can swiftly weigh in on questions regarding the competition.
Let's introduce our judges, Leslie Jean Thornton, is an Associate Professor at the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication at Arizona State University.
She's a former newspaper reporter, photographer and editor in New York, Connecticut and Virginia.
Randy Jesse is editorial Systems Administrator for Lee Enterprises based in Richmond.
He's been a newspaper reporter, photographer, editor and systems manager in Virginia, Maryland, New York and Florida.
Bethany Mayo is an accomplished actor and teaching as artist now based in the Hampton Roads area.
When not acting or teaching.
She's serving as United States of America, Mrs. Mid-Atlantic 2024 focusing on educational initiatives and plastic reduction.
Let's hit on now into round two of today's spelling Bee.
Coming to the microphone is Zachary, who loves to play video games and loves to fish.
Zachary.
- Zachary, your word has a homonym could be confused with another.
The word is spatula.
It's a noun and it refers to a flat, thin, flexible, dull edged implement used especially for spreading or mixing soft surfaces.
Scooping or lifting.
Spatula.
- Spatula.
S-P-A-T-U-L-A.
Spatula - [Randy] That's correct.
- [Raymond] And here comes Emmeline.
Is going to be in the production of Radium girls this spring and loves to read specifically Wings of Fire books, Emmeline.
- [Bobby] Your word is putrid.
- Putrid.
P-U-T-R-I-D. Putrid?
- [Randy] That's correct.
- [Raymond] Okay, number four is Nyla, who loves to impersonate people and she is from New York.
- [Bobby] Your word is recruit.
- Recruit.
R-E-C-R-U-I-T.
Recruit.
- [Randy] That's correct.
- [Raymond] Daniel's up next representing Indian River Middle School School in the district chorus.
And hobbies include writing, music and drawing, Daniel.
- Your word is breathtaking.
- Breathtaking.
B-R-E-A-T-H-T-A-K-I-N-G. Breathtaking.
- [Randy] That's correct.
- [Raymond] Xander's coming up next, Xander likes chess, likes to play Monopoly.
- [Bobby] Your word is charitable.
- Charitable.
C-H-A-R-I-T-A-B-L-E. Charitable.
- That's correct.
- And Damien, it's your turn.
Damien enjoys building and racing RC cars with his dad loves to travel and is bilingual.
- [Bobby] Your word is fashionista.
- Can you gimme the definition?
- It's a designer, promoter or follower of the latest style in dress and personal decoration.
- Repeat the word please.
- [Bobby] Fashionista.
- Fashionista.
F-A-S-H-I-O-N-I-S-T-A.
- [Randy] That's correct.
- [Raymond] And here comes Sydney, Sydney who loves to sing and plays two different instruments, plays the clarinet and the piano.
- [Bobby] Your word is university.
- University.
Can I have a sentence please?
- The university offered Stephanie a very generous scholarship package - University, U-N-I-V-E-R-S-I-T-Y.
University.
- [Randy] That's correct.
- [Raymond] And it's time now for Amarachukwusom.
Who is musically inclined, plays a violin and considers herself a perfectionist.
- Your word has a homonym or could be confused with another.
The word is carriage.
It's a noun and it refers to a horse drawn vehicle designed for private use or for comfort or elegance, carriage.
- Carriage.
C-A-R-R-I-A-G-E. Carriage.
- [Randy] That's correct.
- [Raymond] Caitlyn coming up next, who likes to draw on her spare time.
Loves to read and likes to play video games.
- [Bobby] And your word is residue.
- Residue.
R-E-S-I-D-U-E. - [Randy] That's correct.
- Darcy's coming up now, played the piano for eight years and recently joined a fencing club.
- [Bobby] Votive.
- Can I get a definition please?
- It means undertaken or performed in fulfillment of a vow.
- Votive.
V-O-T-I-V-E. - That's correct.
- [Raymond] Adalynn is coming up.
Was the school winner last year and has pet frogs.
Adalyne.
- [Bobby] Your word is futility.
- Could you say that again?
- [Bobby] Futility.
- Could you use that a sentence?
- Celia's mother finally concluded that trying to look younger was an exercise in futility.
- Fu, could you say that again?
- [Bobby] Futility.
- Futility.
F-U-T-I-L-I-T-Y.
Futility.
- [Randy] That's correct.
- [Raymond] Lindsey's who's coming up next, plays basketball and has a cat named Claude.
- Your word has a homonym or could be confused with another.
The word is heist.
It's a noun and it means an armed robbery, A holdup.
Specifically the act of breaking into or robbing an establishment such as a bank, heist.
- Heist.
H-E-I-S-T heist.
- [Randy] That's correct.
- [Raymond] And here comes Catherine, who is interested in fashion design and is passionate about marine biology and environmental conservation.
- [Bobby] Your word is (laughs).
- Can edit that bit out right?
I'm just kidding.
- [Bobby] Your word is contraction.
- Can I get that in a sentence please?
- Can't is the colloquial contraction for cannot.
- Can you repeat the word please?
- [Bobby] Contraction.
- C-O-N-T-R-A-C-T-I-O-N. - [Randy] That's correct.
- [Raymond] Our next speller Milud, knows more or knew more than 50 words before age one.
He's bilingual and he created a website at the age of 10, Milud.
- [Bobby] Your word is obscure.
- Obscure.
Can I have the definition please?
- It means not readily understood.
Lacking clarity or legibility.
- Can you use it in a sentence please?
- [Bobby] The idea the essay was trying to convey was expressed in an unnecessarily obscure way.
- Obscure O-B-S-C-U-R-E.
Obscure.
- [Randy] That's correct.
- [Raymond] Zoey coming up next, member of the Kempsville Middle School Cheer Team and she loves Guinea pigs.
- [Bobby] Your word is trounce.
- Can you please use it in a sentence?
- Brian is hoping that Michigan will trounce Ohio State in their next football game, but Molly knows they won't.
- Trounce.
T-R-O-U-N-C-E. Trounce?
- [Randy] That's correct.
- [Raymond] And here is Cailey who loves and plays club volleyball and built a life-size replica of herself out of plastic wrap in the first grade.
- [Raymond] Your word is platoon.
- Platoon.
Can you gimme the definition please?
- It's a subdivision of a military unit at such as a company that normally consists of a headquarters unit and two or more squads or sections commanded by a lieutenant - Platoon.
P-L-A-T-O-O-N. Platoon.
- [Randy] That's correct.
- [Raymond] Hayden, who's coming up now, lived in Japan for four years and has a Shiba Inu dog named Ghost.
- Your word is irrigation.
- Irrigation.
I-R-R-I-G-A-T-I-O-N. - [Randy] That's correct.
- [Raymond] Time now for Claire.
Who is playing Grace in the school production of Annie this spring and she plays two instruments.
- [Bobby] Your word is peony.
- Peony, P-E-O-N-Y, peony.
- [Randy] That's correct.
- [Raymond] And Nina who's coming up now speaks too foreign languages, Serbian and Portuguese and she plays volleyball for her school team.
- [Bobby] And whose word is semester.
- Can you repeat the word?
- [Bobby] Semester.
- Semester.
S-E-M-E-S-T-E-R.
Semester - [Randy] And that's correct.
- Peyton is coming up, has been inside the shark cage and because he survived is interested in the career path of marine biology.
- [Bobby] Your word is stupefy.
- Could I get definition please?
- It means to shock with surprise astonishment or consternation to stun to astound.
- Okay.
Stupefy, S-T-U-P-I-F-Y.
Stupefy.
- I'm Sorry, that's incorrect.
- Time now for Ashley who loves to read, likes to paint and her favorite band, the Fallout Boy.
- And you have a homonym here or a word that could be confused with another word.
The word is kiwi.
It's a noun and refers to a flightless New Zealand bird that's about the size of a domestic chicken and has weak or undeveloped wings, stout legs along straight or slightly curved bill, kiwi.
- Can you use it in a sentence please?
- An unusual feature of the kiwi is that its nostrils are located at the tip rather than at the base of its long bill.
- Kiwi, K-E-E-W-E-E. - I'm sorry, that's incorrect.
- [Raymond] Time now for Andrew who is fluent in Russian and is the winner of his school spelling Bee for the second year in a row.
- Your word is marooned - Marooned.
M-A-R-O-O-N-E-D. Marooned - [Randy] That's correct.
- [Raymond] Zhuri, it's your turn.
Favorite hobbies, making visual art and music and like 70 fashions and like studying mushrooms.
- [Bobby] Your word is punctuation.
- Punctuation.
P-U-N-C-U-A-T-I-O-N. - I'm sorry, that's incorrect.
- [Raymond] Sara, who's our next speller studied hard and practiced often she says and their family has traveled in her father's job.
She's been lucky to live in several places.
Sara.
- [Raymond] Your word is vicinity.
- Vicinity.
V-I-C-I-N-I-T-Y.
Vicinity.
- [Randy] That's correct.
- [Raymond] Coming up now is Carter who's a gymnast and a student with high honors and loves the beach.
- Your word is baptismal - Baptismal.
B-A-P-T-I-S-M-A-L. Baptismal.
- [Randy] That's correct.
- [Raymond] Bella who's coming up now plays the violin and piano since she was five years old, likes to swim and also synchronize swim.
- [Bobby] Your word is conundrum.
- Can you repeat that?
- [Bobby] Conundrum?
- Can you use it in a sentence.
- As a mayoral candidate, Mr. Michael spent weeks deliberating over the conundrum of how to balance the city's budget while also maintaining its services - Conundrum.
C-O-N-U-N-D-R-U-M. Conundrum.
- [Randy] That's correct.
- [Raymond] And coming up now is Aiden who loves "My Hero Academia," which is the best manga ever lived in Colorado before he moved to Virginia.
Aiden, - Your word is editorial.
- E-D-I-T-O-R-I-A-L. - [Randy] That's correct - And come on up Jayden.
Jayden likes to help people, plays games and loves to cook, Jayden, - [Bobby] Your word is opulent.
- Opulent.
May you gimme a definition please?
- [Bobby] Definition, exhibiting or characterized by wealth or affluence.
- May you use a sentence?
- [Bobby] The room's opulent decor included original commissioned works of art and a crystal chandelier.
- Is it O-P-U-L-A-N-T. - Sorry, that's incorrect.
- [Raymond] Jackson, come on up.
Jackson likes "Underland," and is really into Greek mythology, Jackson.
- [Bobby] Your word is sweltering.
- Sweltering.
- [Bobby] Sweltering.
- Could you use that in a sentence please?
- Despite the sweltering heat, thousands of people lined the street to watch the 4th of July parade.
- Could you give me a definition?
- [Bobby] Oppressively hot, caused or marked by excessive sweating or faintness.
- Could you repeat the word please?
- [Randy] Sweltering.
- S-W-E-L-T-E-R-I-N-G. - [Randy] That's correct.
- [Raymond] Time now for Sean who has been to 10 countries and Sean can solve a Rubik's cube in under 17 seconds.
- [Bobby] Your word is technician.
- Technician.
May I have the definition please?
- It's one who has learned the practical mechanical or scientific details and specific skills of an occupation.
- Technician.
T-E-C-H-N-I-C-I-A-N.
Technician?
- [Randy] That's correct.
- [Raymond] And come on up Hiya.
She loves to read and play board games, loves to draw, loves music and sports.
- [Bobby] Your word is compatriots.
- Compatriots.
May I have the definition?
- Close colleagues or associates - Compatriots.
C-O-M-P-T-A-T-R-I-O-T-S. Compatriots?
- [Raymond] That's correct.
- [Raymond] Anthony, coming up now once rode an elephant and he can build a fire with scrap.
- [Bobby] Your word is rehearsal.
- Rehearsal.
R-E-H-E-A-R-S-A-L. - [Randy] That's correct.
- [Raymond] And Rohith coming to the microphone.
He placed third in our 2022 competition and was our Spelling Bee champion in 2023 went on to represent our region in the national competition, Rohith.
- [Bobby] Your word is nocturnal.
- Nocturnal.
May I please have the definition?
- [Bobby] It means active at night describing animals or sometimes plants that perform most of their functions at night.
- Nocturnal.
N-O-C-T-U-R-N-A-L. Nocturnal.
- [Randy] That's correct.
- Thank you very much.
- [Raymond] Alexa, coming up now, loves anything related to the ocean and water and her favorite things to do are do it yourself projects and art.
- [Bobby] Your word is medallion.
- Can you use that in a sentence please?
- Charlie bought a World War II medallion online.
- Medallion.
M-E-D-A-L-L-I-O-N. Medallion?
- [Bobby] That's correct.
- [Raymond] And here comes Poppy who has dual citizenship.
She's British and American and loves dinosaurs and paleontology.
- [Bobby] Your word is extinguish.
- Extinguish.
May I have it in a sentence please?
- During the 4th of July festivities it was Hereney's responsibility to extinguish any embers or fires after the fireworks have been set off - Extinguish.
E-X-T-I-N-G-U-I-S-H. - [Randy] That's correct.
- [Raymond] And coming up to the microphone is Corey whose favorite sport is soccer and plays the flute in the marching band.
- [Bobby] Your word is lexicon.
- Lexicon.
L-E-X-I-C-O-N. Lexicon.
- [Randy] That's correct.
- [Raymond] And come on up Poppy.
Poppy was born on Friday the 13th during bad nor'easter but she can hold her breath for a crazy amount of time underwater.
- [Bobby] Your word is auditorium.
- May you use it in a sentence please?
- Before the first rehearsal for the musical, the director held a cast meeting in the school auditorium - Auditorium, A-U-D-I-T-O-R-I-U-M. Auditorium - [Randy] Correct.
- [Raymond] Come on up.
Kellan, Kellan loves history and hockey and in his free time he enjoys reading and volunteering.
- [Bobby] Your word is Pantheon.
- Pantheon.
Can you use it in a sentence?
- One very old pantheon in Rome has remained remarkably intact since ancient times.
- Pantheon.
P-A-N-T-H-E-O-N. - [Randy] That's correct.
- [Raymond] Coming up now is Slyvana, who is fully bilingual in English and Spanish and she's learning French and is thriving in an advanced French class, Slyvana.
- [Bobby] Your word is emancipatory.
- Can I have it in a sentence please?
- In 1865, Congress ratified the emancipatory amendment abolishing slavery in the United States.
- May I have the definition as well please?
- It means designed or tending to free from restraint control or the power of another.
- May you repeat the word please.
- [Bobby] Emancipatory.
- E-M-A-N-C-I-P-A-T-O-R-Y.
- [Randy] That's correct.
- [Raymond] Here comes Herbert.
Herbert is an avid soccer fan.
His favorite team is the Liverpool and his favorite genre of music, afropop.
- Your word has a homonym or could be confused with another.
The word is deprivation.
It's a noun and it means the act of taking something away.
- Can you say the word again?
- [Bobby] Deprivation.
- Can I have the definition?
- [Bobby] The act of taking something away.
- Can you put it in a sentence please?
- Harrison complained to his parents that losing his cell phone privileges was a form of sensory deprivation forbidden by the Geneva Convention - Deprivation.
D-E-P-R-V-A-T-I-O-N. - [Randy] I'm sorry, that's incorrect.
- [Raymond] Camille, your time back at the microphone.
Your favorite sport is basketball.
Your favorite color is purple and you love sports - [Bobby] And your word is asylum.
- Asylum.
A-S-Y-L-U-M. - [Randy] That's correct.
- [Raymond] Come on up Townes, your turn.
Townes that won two blue ribbons at the Virginia State Fair for photography.
He's an amateur electronic music producer, enjoys working with computers, Townes, - [Bobby] Your word is tantrum.
- Tantrum.
Can you use it in a sentence?
- The child threw a tantrum when it was time to put away his toys and take a nap.
- [Townes] Language of origin?
- It is a word of unknown origin - [Townes] Definition?
- A burst of ill humor or a fit of bad temper, - Part of speech?
- [Bobby] Noun.
- Okay.
Tantrum.
T-A-N-T-R-U-M. Tantrum.
- [Randy] Correct.
- And our final speller in round two is Junie who likes to code in his free time and his favorite subject in school is Science - Your word has a homonym or could be confused with another word.
The word is whey.
It is a noun and it refers to the serum or watery part of milk containing sugar minerals and lactalbumin that is separated from the curd, especially in the process of making cheese - Whey, W-H-E-Y.
Whey - [Randy] That's correct.
- And that wraps up round two of our WHRO 2024 Spelling Bee.
A lot more spelling bee to come.
Tough words, great spellers and we'll be right back after this.
(upbeat music) - Hi, I'm Bert Schmidt, President and CEO of WHRO.
As an ending competition, a Spelling Bee has a set of official rules that all spellers must abide by.
Since they've already won their local school bees.
Today's spells are well familiar with these rules.
The rules are very specific and are meant to protect the integrity of the bee and the final result.
A few of these rules include spellers who refuse a judge's request to start spelling will be disqualified.
Spellers who do not approach the microphone when it's time to receive their next word will also be disqualified.
Spellers may ask to start over once they have begun spelling, but they may not change any letters or alter the order of letters given when they first spoke.
And obviously any speller who behaves in an inappropriate or unsportsmanlike manner at any time during the bee will be immediately disqualified.
Now of all of our years of hosting the bee, we've never had a disqualified speller for this reason, which further demonstrates the dedication and maturity of these young competitors.
So you can review a complete set of rules at our website at whro.org/spellingbee.
So let's get back to the bee.
Best of luck to each one of our champion spellers.
(upbeat music) (upbeat music) - A spelling bee is done in rounds.
Spellers are given words until one speller remains.
If all of the spellers spell out in a round, they all remain in the competition and a new round begins.
When we get to the point where only one speller remains, a new one word round will begin and if the speller succeeds in correctly spelling that word, we will have this year's champion.
Now let's get back to the bee.
Coming back to the microphone.
Is Zachary, - [Bobby] Your word is refugium.
- Can you repeat that please?
- [Bobby] Refugium.
- What is the definition?
- It's an area of relatively unaltered climate that is inhabited by plants and animals during a period of continental climate change as a glaciation and remains as a center of relic forms from which a new dispersion and speciation may take place after climatic readjustment, refugium.
- Refugium, R-E-F-U-G-I-A-M. - I'm sorry that's incorrect.
- [Raymond] Emmeline, your turn.
- [Bobby] Your word is trice.
- Trice.
T-R-I-C-E. Trice.
- [Randy] That's correct.
- [Raymond] And come on up Nyla, take your word.
- [Bobby] Your word has a homonym or could be confused with another word.
The word is nomophobia.
It is a noun meaning fear of being without access to a working cell phone.
- [Nyla] Can you re-say the word?
- [Bobby] Sure.
Nomophobia.
- N-O-M-A-P-H-O-B-I-A.
Nomophobia.
- I'm sorry.
That's incorrect.
- Daniel, come on up.
Get your word.
- [Bobby] Your word is supplicate.
- Supplicate.
Can you provide a definition?
- [Bobby] To ask earnestly and humbly of?
- Can you use that word in a sentence?
- [Bobby] The defendant wondered how he would best supplicate the court for mercy.
- May I ask for the national origin?
- It's from Latin.
- Okay.
Supplicate, is that the correct pronunciation?
- [Bobby] Supplicate.
- Supplicate.
S-U-P-P-L-I-C-T-E. Supplicate?
- [Randy] That's correct.
- [Raymond] And here comes Xander for his next word.
- [Bobby] The word is pugnacious.
- Can you repeat the word?
- Pugnacious.
- Can I get a definition?
- It means having a quarrelsome, assertive, hostile or combative nature, aggressive.
- Pagnatios.
Am I saying that right?
- [Bobby] Pugnacious.
- Pugnacious.
P-U-G-N-A-C-I-O-U-S.
Pugnacious - [Randy] That's correct.
- [Raymond] Here comes Damien now for another word in this round.
- [Bobby] Your word has a homonym or could be confused with another word.
The word is rubicon.
It's a noun and it means a bounding or limiting line.
One that when crossed commits a person to an irrevocable change or decision, rubicon.
- Can you use it in a sentence?
- Alta put off choosing a college major because she felt that to do so would be crossing the rubicon.
- Rubicon, R-U-B-I-C-O-N. - [Randy] That's correct.
- [Raymond] And let's hear it now from Sydney.
- [Bobby] Your word is adjugate.
- Can I please have a sentence?
- The adjugate of a matrix is a scaler multiple of the inverse of the matrix as everyone knows.
- Can I have the definition of that word?
- It means the mathematical transpose of a matrix in which each element is replaced by its co-factor.
- Adjugate.
A-G-I-G-A-T-E. Adjugate - [Randy] I'm sorry, that's incorrect.
- [Raymond] Amarachukwusom, time now for your word.
- [Bobby] Your word is expectorant.
- Can you use that in a sentence?
- [Bobby] An expectorant containing eucalyptus oil is often effective as a cough remedy.
- Can I get the definition for that word?
- An agent tending to promote discharge of mucus from the respiratory tract.
- Can you say the word again?
- [Bobby] Expectorant.
- Expectorant.
E-X-P-E-C-T-O-R-A-N-T. Expectorant - [Randy] That's correct.
- [Raymond] And Caitlin, come on up.
- [Bobby] Your word is quinary.
- Can I hear that again please?
- [Bobby] Quinary.
- Can you use that in a sentence - For fun the fourth grade class renumbered all the school's rooms using the quinary system.
- Quinary.
Q-U-I-N-E-R-Y.
- [Randy] I'm sorry, that's incorrect.
- [Raymond] And Darcy up for your word please.
- [Bobby] The word is incinerate - Incinerate.
I-N-C-I-N-E-R-A-T-E. - [Randy] That's correct.
- [Raymond] Adalynn time for your word.
- Your word has a homonym or could be confused with another.
The word is buoyancy.
It's a noun and it means the property of floating on the surface of a liquid or in a fluid.
- [Adalynn] Could you use that in a sentence?
- The boat's previous buoyancy was destroyed by a leak.
- Buoyancy.
B-O-U-Y-A-N-C-Y.
Buoyancy.
- [Randy] Sorry, that's incorrect.
- [Raymond] Lindsay, coming up in time for your word please.
- [Bobby] Your word is recipient.
- Can I have the definition for that word please?
- [Bobby] It means one that takes possession or delivery of something - Recipient.
Am I saying that right?
- [Bobby] Recipient.
- R-E-C-I E-N-A-N-T.
Recipient.
- [Randy] I'm sorry, that's incorrect.
- [Raymond] And it's time for Catherine.
Catherine runs to the microphone.
- Your word is preponderance.
- Uh oh, can I get a definition?
- The preponderance is a superiority or excess in number or quantity.
- Can I get a kid's version of that definition?
- [Bobby] A lot?
- Okay, that makes more sense ish.
Can you say that word again?
- [Bobby] Preponderance.
- Preponderance.
Am I saying that right?
- [Bobby] Preponderance.
- Preponderance.
P-R-O-P-O-N-D-E R-A-N-C-E. - [Randy] I'm sorry, that's incorrect.
- [Kathryn] Figures.
- [Raymond] Milud, come on up Milud.
- [Bobby] Your word is dilapidated.
- Can I have the definition please?
- It means decayed, deteriorated, injured or fallen into partial ruin, especially because of neglect or misuse.
- What's the epidemiology?
- It's from Latin.
- Okay and also can you use it in a sentence please?
- Only birds and bets resided in the dilapidated old house.
- Can you repeat the word please?
- [Bobby] Dilapidated.
- Dilapidated.
D-E-L-A-P-I-D-A-T-E-D. Dilapidated.
- Sorry, the word's incorrect.
- [Raymond] And now Zoey's turn.
Come on Zoey.
- [Bobby] Your word is unilaterally.
- Can I please have the definition of that word?
- It's a one-sided manner in a one-sided manner.
- [Zoey] Can you please repeat the word?
- Unilaterally.
- Unilaterally.
U-N-I-L-A-T-E-R-A-L-L-Y?
- [Randy] That's correct.
- [Raymond] Cailey come on up.
Get your word.
- [Bobby] Your word is commissioner.
- Commissioner.
C-O-M-M-I-S-S-I-O-N-E-R. Commissioner?
- [Randy] That's correct.
- [Raymond] And Aiden your turn.
- [Bobby] Your word is jettison.
- Could you use that in a sentence please?
- The captain explained that he would jettison the cargo if the plane kept losing altitude.
- Jettison.
J-E-T-T-I-S-O-N. - [Randy] That's correct.
- [Raymond] And it's time for Claire to come up and get a word.
- [Bobby] Your word is osteopath.
- Can I get the definition for that?
- It's a practitioner of a system of medical practice based on the theory that diseases are chiefly due to a loss of structural integrity in the tissues.
- Osteopath.
O-S-T-I-L-P-A-T-H. Osteopath.
- I'm sorry, that's incorrect.
- [Raymond] Nina, time for your word.
- [Bobby] Your word is pomegranate.
- Pomegranate.
P-O-M-E-G-R-A-N-A-T-E. - [Randy] That's correct.
- [Raymond] And Andrew, time for your word.
- Your word is breviloquence.
- Can I have the definition?
- It is shortness or briefness of speaking.
- Can you repeat the word?
- Breviloquence.
- Breviloquence.
B-I-E-V-I-L-O-Q-U-E-N-C-Y.
Breviloquence.
- [Randy] I'm sorry, that's incorrect.
- [Raymond] Alright Sara time for you to get a word.
- [Bobby] Your word is marsupial.
- M-A-R-S-U-P-I-A-L. Marsupial?
- [Randy] That's correct.
- [Raymond] And here comes Carter for yet another word.
- [Bobby] The word is utilitarian - Wait, will you please use it in a sentence please?
- Dean chose a utilitarian briefcase over the fancy leather model.
- Utilitarian.
U-T-I-L-I-T-A-R-I-A-N. Utilitarian.
- [Randy] That's correct.
- [Raymond] Bella.
Time for your word.
Come on up.
- [Bobby] Your word is vacillate.
- Can you repeat that?
- [Bobby] Vacillate.
- Can I have a definition?
- It means to waver in mind will or feeling.
- Can I have it in a sentence?
- Thomas and his brothers usually vacillate when they are deciding what to wear and must allow plenty of time to get dressed.
- Can you repeat the word?
- [Bobby] Vacillate.
- Vacillate.
V-A-S-C-I-L-A-T-E. Vacillate.
- It's incorrect.
- Aiden, it's your turn.
Come on up Aiden.
- May I please tell my word?
- Your word is dyspeptic.
- Can I hear a kids version of the definition - It is having or showing a bad temper.
Irritable or ill tempered.
- Can I hear it in a sentence?
- The blogger's dyspeptic views on the popular TV show irritated many readers.
- D-I-S-T-E-C-T-I-C. - [Randy] I'm sorry, that's incorrect.
- [Raymond] And Jackson, come on up and get your word please.
- [Bobby] Your word is millennial.
- Could you give me the definition please?
- It is a 1,000th anniversary or its celebration.
- Could you use it in a sentence please?
- In 2010, Vietnam celebrated the millennial of the founding of its capital, Hanoi, which was founded in the year 1010 with the name Tong Long.
- Could you repeat the word please?
- [Bobby] Millennial.
- Millennial.
M-I-L-L-E-N-I-A-L. - Sorry, that's incorrect.
- [Raymond] It's your turn.
John, come on up.
- [Bobby] Your word is deglaciation - Deglaciation Deglaciation.
Is that correct?
- [Bobby] Deglaciation.
- Deglaciation.
D-E-G-L-A-C-I-A-T-I-O-N. Deglaciation?
- [Randy] That's correct.
- [Raymond] All right Hiya come on up here.
- [Bobby] Your word is cornucopia.
- Cornucopia.
May I have the definition?
- It's a curved goats horn from the mouth of which fruit and ears of corn overflow, used as a decorative motif in art, architecture and design.
Emblematic of abundance.
It's also called a horn of plenty.
- May I have the language origin?
- [Bobby] It's from Latin - Cornucopia.
C-O-R-N-U-C-O-P-I-A.
Cornucopia?
- That's correct.
- [Raymond] And here comes Anthony for another word.
- And you have one of these homonyms, so it could be confused with another word.
Your word is histrionics.
- Can I get the definition?
- Yes, it is staged conduct or exhibition of temperament usually intended to produce some particular effect or response in others.
- Can you use it in a sentence?
- Kate patiently explained to her toddler that his use of histrionics was unlikely to get him any more dessert.
- What's the root?
- It's from an Etruscan derived Latin word plus a Greek derived Latin element.
- Histrionics.
H-I-S-T-R-Y-O-N-I-X.
- Sorry, that's incorrect.
- [Raymond] And here comes Rohith for another word.
- [Bobby] Your word also has a homonym so could be confused with another.
Your word is germane.
It's an adjective meaning having a close relationship.
Appropriate or pertinent.
- Could you please repeat the definition?
- Having a close relationship.
Appropriate or pertinent.
- Germane.
G-E-R-M-A-N-E. Germane?
- [Randy] That's correct.
- Thank you very much.
- [Raymond] Alexa, time for your word.
- Your word also has a homonym.
It is cumulus, it's a noun, meaning a mass cloud form usually occurring in the low or middle cloud regions at elevations between 2,000 and 15,000 feet having a flat base and rounded outlines often piled up like a mountain, cumulus - Have the word of origin.
- [Bobby] It's from Latin.
- Can you repeat the word - [Bobby] Cumulus.
- Cumulus.
C-U-M-U-L-O-U-S. Cumulus.
- I'm sorry, that's incorrect.
- [Raymond] And Poppy, come on up and get your word for this round.
- [Bobby] Your word is triceratops - Triceratops.
T-R-I-C-E-R-A-T-O-P-S. Triceratops.
- [Randy] That's correct.
- [Raymond] And here comes Corey for yet another word in this round.
- [Bobby] Your word is simpatico.
- Simpatico.
May I have the definition please?
- It's adjective meaning possessing attractive qualities.
Appealing, likable - Simpatico.
S-I-M-P-A-T-I-C-O.
- [Randy] That's correct.
- [Raymond] And Poppy, come on up.
Your turn.
- [Bobby] Your word is aqueduct.
- Could you use it in a sentence please?
- Rishi visited an ancient Roman aqueduct while traveling in Spain.
- Aqueduct.
A-Q-U-A-D-U-C-T. Aqueduct.
- Sorry, that's incorrect.
- And here's Kellan to get his word in this round.
- [Bobby] You word has a homonym or could be confused with another, it's ingenuous.
- Ingenuous.
Can you use it in a sentence?
- Frank's ingenuous question about the meaning of the joke left the room in an awkward silence.
- Can I have the definition?
- [Bobby] It means showing innocent or childlike simplicity.
Straightforwardness or frankness.
- Can you say it again?
- Ingenuous.
- E-N-J-A-N U-S. - [Randy] I'm sorry, that's incorrect.
- [Raymond] Sylvana your turn in this round.
- [Bobby] Your word is bodkin.
- May I have the definition please?
- It's a dagger with a usually slender triangular or square blade.
- May I have an example in a sentence please?
- Hamlet mentions a bear bodkin in the famous soliloquy that begins to be or not to be, that is the question.
- May you repeat the word please.
- [Bobby] Bodkin.
- B-O-D-K-I-N. - [Randy] That's correct.
- [Raymond] Khamil time for your word.
- Your word has a homonym or could be confused with another word.
The word is tussic.
It's a noun, meaning a small null of more solid ground in a marsh or bog, usually covered with and bound together by the roots of low vegetation such as grass or sedges.
- Can you say the word again?
- [Bobby] Tussic.
- Can you say it again please?
- [Bobby] Tussic.
- T-U-S-I-C-K. - I'm sorry, that's incorrect.
- [Raymond] And Townes, it's time for your word.
- [Bobby] Your word subterranean.
- Language of origin?
- It is formed from a Latin element plus an English element, - Part of speech.
- It is an adjective.
- May I hear it in a sentence?
- Yes, the mole is a subterranean creature - Definition?
- Functioning, operating, or suitable for operating beneath the surface of the earth.
- Subterranean.
S-U-B-T-E-R-R-A-I-N-I-A-N. - [Randy] Sorry.
That's incorrect.
- [Raymond] And our last speller for this round is Junie, come on up Junie.
- [Raymond] Your word is excelsior.
- Excelsior.
Can I have the definition please?
- It's fine curled shavings of wood forming a resilient mass and used especially for packing fragile items.
- Can you use it in a sentence please?
- Rhoda opened the box hurriedly scattering excelsior all over the carpet.
- EX.
Can I repeat the word please?
I mean, can I, sorry, can I start over please?
May you please repeat the word - [Bobby] Excelsior.
E-X-C-E-L-S-I-O-R. Excelsior.
- [Randy] That's correct.
- You've probably noticed that the words are getting more challenging.
The students are used to this since they're all champions and have learned the rules of spelling.
And that's why you'll hear a speller ask the pronouncer for the language of origin, knowing whether it's Latin or Greek, and tell the speller whether a word ends with ER or OR maybe the word was originally French.
Then the speller knows that there may be silent letters to deal with.
So when you start hearing those unfamiliar and strange sounding words, remember that these students aren't just guessing, they're applying spelling rules they've used that have guided them to victory for many years.
the longest word ever used in a Spelling Bee was pneumonoultramicroscopic silicovolcanoconiosis I'm pretty sure that's not in the list today.
We'll be right back after this.
(logo swishes) - [Announcer] It is time to take your podcast listening to the next level with NPR plus.
- [Announcer 2] Enjoy sponsor free listening, early access to new episodes, - [Announcer] Archive Access, - [Announcer 2] Even bonus episodes.
- [Announcer] In bonus episodes like this one.
The quiz contestant is a wait wait plus supporter like you.
- [Announcer 2] And while our teams provide you with incredible extras from the shows you love, you know you're empowering a network of over 200 non-profit local newsrooms.
For just a little, you'll get a lot.
Sign up today at plus.npr.org.
(upbeat music) - [Raymond] Back to our 2024 WHRO Spelling Bee.
Coming to the microphone is Emmeline - [Bobby] Emmeline, your word is vitriolic.
- Oh boy.
Can I get the definition please?
- It is means marked by a caustic biting quality - Vitriolic.
V-I-T-R-I-O-L-I-C-T-I-C. - Sorry.
It's incorrect.
- [Emmeline] Thank you.
- [Raymond] And Daniel time your word In this round.
- [Bobby] Your word is blastosteogenesis.
- Blastosteogenesis.
Can you provide a definition?
- [Bobby] It means reproduction by budding.
- Blastosteogenesis.
B-L-A-S-T-O-G-E-N-E-S-I-S. Blastogenesis.
- [Randy] That's correct.
- [Raymond] Xander, time for your word in this round.
Come on up.
- [Bobby] Your word is heinousness.
- Can you provide me a definition?
- It means the quality or state of being hatefully or shockingly evil.
- Heinous.
- [Bobby] Heinousness.
- Oh, heinousness.
H-E-I-N-O-U-S-N-E-S-S. Heinousness.
- [Randy] That's correct.
- [Raymond] Damien, time for your word.
Let's come to the mic.
- [Bobby] Your word is erubescent.
- You provide a definition please?
- [Bobby] It means becoming red or redding?
- Erudescent?
- [Bobby] Erubescent.
- Oh, Thank you.
Can you use it in a sentence.
- Roses erubescent complexion made her embarrassment obvious.
- You repeat the word please.
- [Bobby] Erubescent.
- I-R-U-E-E-S-C-E-N-T. - [Randy] I'm sorry, that's incorrect.
- Amarachukwusom come on up.
Get your word please.
- [Bobby] Your word is mackerel.
- Mackerel.
M-A-C-K-E-R-E-L, mackerel.
- [Randy] That's correct.
- [Raymond] And here's Darcy with yet another word.
- [Bobby] The word is resuscitate.
- Resuscitate.
R-E-C I-C A-T-A-T-E. - [Randy] Sorry, that's incorrect.
- [Raymond] Zoey, your turn.
Let's have a word for Zoey.
- [Bobby] Your word has a homonym or could be confused with another.
The word is epidermis.
It's a noun and it refers to the outer layer of the skin of a vertebrate.
- Can you please repeat the word?
- [Bobby] Epidermis.
- Epidermis.
E-P-I-D-E-R M-U-S. - [Randy] I'm sorry, that's incorrect.
- [Raymond] And here's Cailey for her word in this round, - Your word has a homonym or could be confused with another the word mitochondria.
It's a plural noun meaning round or long cellular organelles that are found outside the nucleus produce energy for the cell through cellular respiration and are rich in fats, proteins and enzymes, mitochondria.
- Mitochondria.
M-I-T-O-C-H-O-N-D-R-I-A.
Mitochondria?
- [Randy] That's correct.
- [Raymond] Aiden, here's your word for this round.
- [Bobby] Your word is supercilious.
- Can you use in a sentence please?
- The supercilious senior ignored the first year student.
- Can you provide the definition please?
- [Bobby] It means arrogantly superior, haughty or disdainful.
- Can you tell me its origin please?
- [Bobby] It's from Latin.
- Supercilious S-U-P-E-R-S-C-I-L-L-I-U-S. - I'm sorry, that's incorrect.
- [Raymond] And Nina, come on up.
Get your word please.
- [Bobby] This word has a homonym.
Could be confused with another.
Your word of obnebulate.
It is a verb meaning to be cloud or to be fog, obnebulate.
- Can you repeat the word - Obnebulate.
- Can you use in a sentence?
- The early morning haze will obnebulate the mountain scape.
- Do you have alternate pronunciations for this word?
- [Bobby] There's only the one.
- Okay, obnebulate.
Am I saying that correctly?
- [Bobby] Obnebulate - Okay.
Obnebulate.
O-B-N-E-B-U-L-A-T-E. - [Randy] That's correct.
- [Raymond] Sara, it's time for your word in this round.
- [Bobby] Sara, your word is discretionary.
- Discretionary.
D-I-S C-R-E-T-I-O-N-A-R-Y.
Discretionary?
- [Randy] That's correct.
- [Raymond] And here comes Carter for yet another word in this round.
- [Bobby] You have one of these homonyms which could be confused with another word.
The word is aardvark.
- May I have a definition please?
It's a burrowing nocturnal African mammal about five feet long that feeds on ants and termites.
It has a long snout, a snake-like tongue, long ears, large ears, and a heavy tapering tail.
- Aardvark.
A-A-R-D-V-A-R-K. Aardvark - [Randy] That's correct.
- [Raymond] Alright and coming up now is Sean, - [Bobby] Your word is phlebotomy.
- Can I have a definition?
Can I just have all the information please?
- Sure, originally Greek, this word passed through Latin and French before becoming English.
It is a noun, meaning the letting of blood in the treatment of disease Venice section, phlebotomy is performed to reduce excessive iron accumulation in the blood, phlebotomy.
- Are there any alternate pronunciations?
- Phlebotomy.
- Phlebotomy.
F-L-I-B-O-T-O-M-Y.
Phlebotomy.
- [Randy] I'm sorry, that's incorrect.
- Now to Hiya, come on up.
Get your word please.
- [Bobby] Your word is codswallop.
- Codswallop.
May I have the definition?
- It is nonsense or dribble.
- Can I have the language origin?
- [Bobby] It's of unknown origin.
- May I have all the information for this word?
Sure, it's of unknown origin, it's a noun, meaning nonsense or dribble.
And the sentence is, Zane's British cousin Perpetua dismissed his story as so much codswallop.
There's an alternate pronunciation, codswallop - Codswallop.
C-O-D-S-W-A-L-L-O-P. Codswallop - [Randy] That is correct.
- [Raymond] Rohith, time for your word in this round.
- You have a homonym which could be confused with another word.
The word is psychoanalysis.
It is a noun, meaning a method of investigating content lying outside the sphere of physical science or knowledge and mechanisms not readily accessible to voluntary exploration by the conscious mind.
- Could you please repeat the definition one more?
- The definition, a method of investigating as through free association and dream study for instance, of content lying outside the sphere of physical science or knowledge and mechanisms not readily accessible to voluntary exploration by the conscious mind.
- Psychoanalysis.
P-S-Y-C-H-O-A-N-A-L-Y-S-I-S. Psychoanalysis.
- [Randy] That's correct.
- Thank you very much.
- [Raymond] And Poppy time for your word in this round.
- [Bobby] Poppy, your word is obstetrician.
- Repeat the word please.
- [Bobby] Obstetrician - Obstetrician.
- [Bobby] Obstetrician.
Obstetrician, may I have all the information please.
- It's probably formed from a Latin derived element and an English element.
It's a noun and it means a physician or veterinarian specializing in birth and the events, conditions, situations or circumstances proceeding and following and often influencing birth.
The elderly obstetrician is now delivering the grandchildren of patients she helped in the early days of her career.
Obstetrician.
- Obstetrician.
O-B-S-T R-I-T-I-O-N. Obstetrician.
- I'm sorry, that's incorrect.
- [Raymond] Corey time for your word, come on up.
- Corey, this word is a compound entry.
You are responsible for spelling all parts of the word entry.
The word is alma mater.
- Are there any alternate pronunciations?
- [Bobby] Alma mater.
- Alma mater.
A-L-M-A-M-A-T-E-R?
- [Raymond] That's correct.
.- Alright, Sylvana time for your word.
- [Bobby] Your word is monochrome.
- May you say the definition please.
- It's the art of producing a painting or drawing in a single hue.
- May you repeat the word please.
- [Bobby] Monochrome.
- Monochrome.
M-O-N-O-C-H-R-O-M-E. - [Randy] That's correct.
- [Raymond] And our final speller in this round is again Junie - And you have a homonym here.
The word is Kaiser, it's a noun.
And it refers to the title of the ruler of Germany between 1871 and 1918, Kaiser.
- Can you use it in a sentence please?
- Wilhelm I, was King of Prussia and the first German Kaiser.
- Can you repeat the word please?
- [Bobby] Kaiser - Kaiser.
K-E-Y-S-E-R. Kaiser, - [Randy] I'm sorry.
That's incorrect.
- And we come to the end of round four in today's 2024 WHRO Spelling Bee.
Although most spelling bee participants are from the United States, there have been participants from Japan, Mexico, The Bahamas, India, Ghana, Canada, New Zealand, and the People's Republic of China.
All the students you're seeing today are from here in Hampton Roads.
We're gonna take a short break and then we'll be right back.
It's getting exciting.
Keep watching.
(upbeat music) - Hi friends, it's me, Ms. Martha.
Join me each week to hear a brand new amazing story from WHROs PBS Kids Writers Contest.
Watch Ms. Martha Reads, each Friday at 10:00 AM on the WHRO public media Facebook page or anytime on YouTube.
Can't wait to see you there.
- It's round five.
In today's Spelling Bee, the excitement continues to build.
And Daniel, is at the microphone.
- Daniel, your word is chrysalis.
- Can you provide a definition?
- It's the enclosing integument or case of an insect such as a butterfly in an intermediate, usually quiescent form that's between the larval and the final adult usually winged stages.
- Can you use it a sentence?
- Henrietta and Sam put the chrysalis in a dry container and kept it in the hope that a butterfly would later emerge.
- Can you state the country of origin?
- It's from a word that went from Semitic to Greek to Latin.
- Understood Chrysalis.
C-H-R-Y-S-A-L-L-I-S. - Sorry, it's incorrect.
- [Raymond] And come on up Xander.
Time to you to get your word.
- [Bobby] Your word is labyrinthine.
- Could you provide me a definition?
- It's of or like a structure full of intricate passageways that make it difficult to find the way from the interior to the entrance or from the entrance to the center.
- Could you say the word again?
- [Randy] Labyrinthine.
- Labyrinthine.
L-A-B-Y-R I-N-T-H-E-N. - I'm sorry, it's incorrect.
- Okay, Amarachukwusom it is time for your word.
- [Bobby] Your word is luculent.
- Can you say the word again?
- Luculent.
- Can I have all the information for this word?
This is a word that came to English from Latin.
It's an adjective meaning transparently clear in thought or expression, convincing.
The audience was amazed at the luculent commentary on the state of the economy.
- What's the language of origin?
- [Randy] Pardon?
- What's the language of origin?
- It came to English from Latin.
- What's the word again?
Can you repeat the word?
- [Bobby] Luculent.
- Am I saying it correctly?
Luculent?
- [Randy] Luculent.
- Luculent.
L-U-K-U L-A-N-T. Luculent - I'm sorry, that's incorrect.
- [Raymond] Cailey come up.
Let's try your word.
- [Bobby] Your word is eczema.
- Eczema.
Can I please have the definition?
- It's an acute or chronic non-contagious inflammatory condition of the skin that's characterized by redness, itching, and oozing vesicular lesions which becomes scaly, crusted, lichenified or that's often associated with exposure to chemical or other irritants.
- Can you please repeat the word?
- [Bobby] Eczema.
- Eczema.
E-X-E-M-A.
Eczema.
- [Randy] I'm sorry it's incorrect.
- [Raymond] Nina, come on up.
Time for your word in this round.
- [Bobby] Your word is bariatrics.
- Can I have all the information please?
- It's a word made up of Greek derived elements.
It is a plural noun.
It is a branch of medicine that deals with the treatment of obesity.
After losing weight himself, Dr. Wright became interested in bariatrics.
- Bariatrics.
B-A-R-I-A-T-R-I-C-S?
- [Randy] That's correct.
- [Raymond] And here's Sara coming up for her word.
- [Bobby] Sara your word is Moroccan.
- Moroccan.
M-O-R R-O-C-A-N. Moroccan.
- [Randy] I'm sorry.
That's incorrect.
- [Raymond] Carter, lets try your word for this round.
- Carter, your words homonym, could be confused with another word.
Your word is cygnet.
It's a noun meaning a young swan.
- May I have all the information for this word?
- The first part of the word is from an originally Greek word that passed into Latin and then French before becoming English.
The second part is from English.
It's a noun.
It means a young swan.
Natalie took many pictures of the beautiful black swan sitting on the grass next to a little gray cygnet.
- May you repeat the word again please.
- [Bobby] Cygnet.
- S-I-G-N-I-T. Cygnet - I'm sorry it's incorrect.
- [Raymond] Okay, Hiya come on up and get your word please.
- Hello.
- Hello.
Your word is bric-a-brac.
- Bric-a-brac?
May I have all the information for this word?
- Sure.
It's from the French.
It's a noun, meaning miscellaneous objects regarded as decorative or of a sentimental value and usually collected in one place, curios.
Elbert's China cabinet is jammed with bric-a-brac he has collected over the years.
- Bric-a-brac.
B-R-I-C-A-B-R-A-C. Bric-a-brac - [Randy] That's correct.
- [Raymond] And here comes Rohith for his word in this round.
- Your word is continuum.
- Continuum.
May I please present the definition?
- It is an identity of substance uniting discrete parts - Continuum.
C-O-N-T-I-N-U-U-M. continuum?
- That's correct.
- [Rohith] Thank you very much.
- [Raymond] And Corey time for your word.
- [Bobby] Your word is eucalyptus.
- May I have the definition please?
- It's an evergreen tree or shrub, mostly native to Western Australia and yielding gums, resins, oils, and tars as well as useful woods.
- Eucalyptus.
E-U-C-A-L-Y-P-T-U-S. Eucalyptus.
- [Randy] That's correct.
- [Raymond] And Sylvana as we come to the last of this round.
- The word has a homonym or could be confused with another word.
Your word is lacustrine.
It's an adjective meaning growing or living in lakes.
- May I have all the information please?
- The word was formed in English from a Latin derived French or Italian part plus an English element.
It's an adjective meaning growing or living in lakes.
The sentence is, the Cornell labs measured the contaminant levels in lacustrine fishes, lacustrine.
- Are there any alternate pronunciations?
- Just the one.
- May you repeat the word please.
- [Bobby] Lacustrine.
- L-U-C-A-S-T-R-A-N. - [Randy] I'm sorry, that's incorrect.
- [Raymond] Alright, we're gonna take a quick break.
And today's 2024 WHRO Spelling Bee.
It's really getting close now and we'll be right back.
- [Announcer] Donate your car, truck or boat today.
And in addition to supporting the programs you love, you'll also qualify for our most popular member benefit PBS Passport.
With passport you can watch incredible documentaries and dramas from Masterpiece, American Experience, Ken Burns, Henry Lewis Gates Jr. Nova, Nature and more so skip the hassle of selling that car you don't use anymore.
Go online or give us a call right now to donate your vehicle and thanks.
(upbeat music) - [Raymond] We have now reached round six of today's Spelling Bee, getting really, really close.
And coming to the microphone now is Nina.
- This is a compound entry and you have to spell all parts of it right, the word vice versa.
- Vice versa.
V-I-C-E-V-E-R-S-A.
Vice versa.
- [Randy] That's correct.
- [Raymond] Hiya your turn.
- Hello?
- [Bobby] Hello.
Your word is hagiographer.
- Hagiographer, may I have the language of origin?
- It's comprised of Greek derived Latin elements and an English element.
- May I have all the information for this word?
- All the information, it's a noun.
It refers to one who writes about the life of a saint.
The sentence reads, most biographies of the saints are anonymous, but some are attributed to a particular hagiographer.
The alternative pronunciation is hagiographer.
- Hagiographer, am I saying it right?
- [Bobby] Hagiographer.
- Hagiographer, - Okay.
Hagiographer.
H-A-G-I-O-G-R-A-P-H-E-R. Hagiographer.
- [Randy] That's correct.
- [Raymond] And Rohith to the microphone please.
- [Bobby] Your word is crith.
- Crith.
May I please have the definition?
- It's the weight of a liter of hydrogen at zero degrees Celsius and 760 milliliters pressure.
- Crith.
C-R-I-T-H. Crith.
- [Randy] That's correct.
- Thank you very much.
- [Raymond] And let's have Corey.
- [Bobby] Corey, your word is flagellum.
- May I have other information on this word?
- It's a word from Latin, it's a noun referring to a long tapering projection that is the primary organ of motion of many algae and bacteria.
The bacterium whipped its flagellum vigorously.
- May you repeat the word please.
- [Bobby] Flagellum.
- Flagellum.
F-L-A-G-E-L-U.
Flagellum - I'm sorry, that's incorrect.
- [Raymond] And we're coming up on round seven on today's Spelling Bee.
We're gonna take a break and then we will be right back.
Don't go away.
(upbeat music) (gentle music) - Basically, Ag Lab is a working farm.
It was kind of an idea seven years ago that came from our superintendent and our school board to be able to provide the ag classes a farm.
Where they can do hands-on education.
They don't have to learn inside of a classroom building.
They're able to actually come out and physically touch whatever we're working on, physically do whatever we need to do for class.
Just different way to learn ag other than out of a book in a classroom.
We have a great looking barn and a great looking main building.
But everything out here at the Land Lab students have built with their own hands so they leave their mark on it.
And that's I think one of our biggest goals is to have those students take that ownership and create something that they can be proud of.
- I can do hands-on work.
It really gave a bunch of kids just a great opportunity to come out here.
- [Announcer] WHRO owned by 21 school divisions.
Supported by people like you.
(upbeat music) - Coming up on round seven of today's Spelling Bee, in this next round, we'll begin using words that the spellers haven't studied.
While some of these words may seem easier than some of the words in previous rounds, the challenge lies in the fact that our spellers have not studied them.
So let's head on into round seven.
And Nina, coming to the microphone, - [Bobby] Your word is lycopene.
- Can I have all the information please?
- It was originally formed in German from originally Greek elements.
It's a noun referring to a red crystalline open chain unsaturated hydrocarbon that is the coloring matter of the tomato and many berries and other fruits.
Lycopene is found in many red foods besides the tomato, such as watermelon and red papaya, as well as some non red foods like asparagus and parsley, lycopene.
- Can you say the word again?
- [Bobby] Lycopene.
- Can I have the language of origin?
- It was originally in German from originally Greek elements.
- Lycopene.
Am I saying that correctly?
- [Bobby] Lycopene.
- Lycopene.
Oh, can you repeat the word?
- [Bobby] Lycopene?
- Lycopene.
Lycopene.
Am I saying that correctly?
- [Bobby] Lycopene.
- L-I-C-H-E-P-I-N-E. - [Randy] I'm sorry, that's incorrect.
- [Raymond] Okay, Hiya up for your word please.
- You have homonym here that could be confused with another word.
Your word is parsec.
It's noun.
Referring to a unit of measure for interstellar space equal to 3.26 light years or 19.2 trillion miles.
- Parsec - [Bobby] Parsec - Parsec.
Am I saying this right?
Parsec?
- [Bobby] Parsec.
- Parsec.
- [Bobby] Parsec.
- Parsec.
May I have the language origin?
- The first part is from an originally Greek word, the second from an originally Latin word.
- Parsec.
- [Bobby] Parsec - Parsec.
- [Bobby] Parsec.
- Parsec.
Parsec, P-A-R-S E-C-K. Parsec.
- Sorry.
That's incorrect.
- [Raymond] And Rohith, come up and get your word please.
- Your word is Tejano.
- Tejano.
May I please have all the information.
- This word is from a Spanish word for an American geographical name and a Latin derived English element.
It's a noun referring to Tex-Mex popular music, combining elements of traditional rock and country music and often featuring an accordion.
The singer Selena is often referred to as the Queen of Tejano music and her birthday, April 16th is still celebrated each year as Selena Day in Texas.
- Tejano, are there any alternate pronunciations?
- [Bobby] There are not.
- Tejano.
Tejano.
T-E-J-A-N-O.
Tejano.
- [Randy] That's correct.
- Well we're gonna take a quick break in today's 2024 WHRO Spelling Bee.
Boy how exciting.
We'll be right back.
(upbeat music) - [Announcer] We have come to the anticipated championship word.
A new one word round will begin.
The speller will be given an opportunity to spell the next word on the list if the speller succeeds in correctly spelling the anticipated championship word in this one word round.
We'll have our Spelling Bee champion.
However, if the speller misspelled the word in this one word round, a new round will begin with all the spellers who spelled correctly and incorrectly in the previous rep. And now the anticipated championship word.
(upbeat music) - [Raymond] Alright Rohith, it's time now for your word.
- [Bobby] Your Word is colloquium.
- Could you please repeat the word - Colloquium?
- May I please have all the information?
- The word is from Latin.
It's a noun referring to a conference, specifically a seminar that several lecturers take turns in leading, colloquium.
- Colloquium.
C-O-L-L-O-Q-U-I-U-M. Colloquium.
- That's correct.
- Thank You.
(audience applauds) All right Rohith has won and has won two years in a row.
Congratulations to him and congratulations to all of our great spellers and all of you parents and guardians out there as well.
Wonderful Spelling Bee as always.
We're gonna take a break, we'll be right back.
(upbeat music) (bright music) - I am working with a program called Participant Learning, and they suggest different places to work.
I research information about Poquoson and I saw the city, the school, and I really like it.
Participant learning as a big opportunity for a teacher from South America and around the world.
In some cases it's very hard like a move to other countries, especially United States where the currency is very high and we see that one like a dream, but participant learning opens that door and make everything easy.
Taking into account that information is like a, you can come be here and you can be part of the culture.
You can share your culture and even you're going to have a good position working in a fantastic school like this one.
(bright music) - [Announcer] WHRO, owned by 21 school divisions.
Supported by people like you.
- Alright, well I'm standing here with Bobby Fisher, our pronouncer.
Did I say that right?
- You did, you said that very well.
- Very good, now I know a lot of our contestants here have done a lot of work to get ready for the bee, but I'm under the impression that you have had to do quite a bit of work yourself.
- I have to read all the words.
I have to know how to say all the words, all the alternate pronunciations.
And I should have actually read some of the definitions because there were some words in the definitions that I was struggling with, particularly when it came to chemical compounds.
- Yeah, we got to the end there and there was a lot of really crazy chemical compounds coming out there.
You're like a scientist up there.
- Yeah.
Well yes, my mother would be proud.
- That's fantastic.
I also heard that we were talking earlier, 17 years here and you've been here for all of them?
- Every one of them.
Every one.
Raymond and I are like the mother and father of the bee.
Look at Raymond.
- Well that's exciting.
So it's exciting then to see it come this far and see where it started and where it is now.
- Well actually it doesn't look that different.
It really doesn't.
The setup's the same and the kids just every year smarter than the kids before and more poised than the kids before.
And I am never failed to be really impressed by these kids and the stuff they know.
And you know when Raymond reads their little bios and I think you wait, you study words, you play violin, you play soccer, you do this, you do that.
And I think wow, that's very impressive.
That's a 21st century kid.
- Yeah, well impressive is definitely my takeaway as well.
So thank you so much Bobby.
And let's see some more.
Let's go back to the bee.
- Well we know we have a champion.
Congratulations again to Rohith for two years in a row.
But as always we do our spell off to see who wins second and third place in today's Spelling Bee.
So let's bring to the microphone.
Nina, - [Bobby] Your word is maceration.
- Can I have the definition?
- It's the extraction of a drug by allowing it to stand in contact with the solvent.
- Can you gimme all the information?
- The word is from Latin.
It's a noun, meaning the extraction of a drug by allowing it to stand in contact with the solvent.
The herbalist created a maceration by soaking plant material from St. John's wart in a solution of diluted ethanol, maceration - Maceration.
M-A C-E-R-A-T-I-O-N. - [Randy] That's correct.
- [Raymond] And Hiya come up and get your word please.
- This word has a homonym or could be confused with another word.
Your word is basque.
It's from French, which formed it from Latin.
It's an adjective meaning of or relating to the language of a people inhabiting from pre Roman times in the region of the Western Pyrenees on the bay of Bisque in Spain and French, basque, alternate pronunciation, basque.
- May I have all the information for this word?
- It's from French, which formed it from Latin.
It's an adjective meaning of or relating to the language of a people inhabiting from pre Roman times the region of the Western Pyrenees on the Bay of Bisque in Spain and France.
There's a alternate pronunciation, basque.
- Basque?
- [Bobby] Basque - Basque.
B-A-S-Q-U-E. Basque.
- [Randy] That's correct.
- [Raymond] And we're gonna keep right on going.
So Nina, come on back up.
We'll get you another word.
- [Bobby] Your word is emery.
- Can you repeat the word?
- [Bobby] Emery.
- Can I have all the information?
- The word is from a word that went from Greek to Latin to Italian to French to English.
It's a noun, it's a natural abrasive used in modern gem grinding that's composed of an impure mixture of corundum and magnetite.
Lila's grinding wheel for polishing stones is covered with fine emery.
- Can I repeat the word?
- [Bobby] Emery?
- Are there any alternate pronunciations?
- [Bobby] There are not.
- What is a language of origin?
- It's a word that went from Greek to Latin to Italian to French to English, I know.
- Now I have no idea what (chuckles).
Can you repeat the word again?
- [Bobby] Emery.
- Emery.
Am I saying that correctly?
- [Bobby] Emery, - Can I have the definition again?
- It's a word that went from Greek to Latin to Italian to French to English.
It's a noun, it's a natural abrasive used in modern gem grinding that's composed of an impure mixture of corundum and magnetite.
Lila's grinding wheel for polishing stones is coated with fine emery.
- Emery.
Am I saying that correctly?
- [Bobby] Emery.
- Emery.
E-M M-A-R-Y.
- I'm sorry.
That's incorrect.
- [Raymond] Alright, Hiya come up for your word please.
- Your word has a homonym or could be confused with another.
Your word is epazote.
It's a noun, it's the fresh or dried pungent smelling leaves of Mexican tea used especially in Mexican cooking, epazote.
- Epazote.
- [Bobby] Epazote.
- Epazote.
May I have all the information for this word?
- It's a word that went from Nahuatl to Spanish.
It's a noun, It's the fresh or dried pungent smelling leaves of Mexican tea used, especially in Mexican cooking.
Epazote is often added to beans while cooking in Mexican cuisine.
And it's said to make them more digestible while also adding flavor, epazote.
- Are there any alternate pronunciations?
- [Bobby] There are not.
- Epazote - [Bobby] Epazote.
- Epazote.
Epazote.
E-P-I-S-S-O-T-E. Epazote.
- I'm sorry.
That's incorrect.
- [Raymond] Alright, Nina, come back up again and we'll get you another word.
- [Bobby] Your word is monotreme.
- Can I have all the information please?
- It's a word that was formed in Latin from originally Greek parts.
It's a noun, meaning one of the lowest order of mammalia consisting of the only surviving representatives of a subclass that's represented in the recent fauna, solely by the egg laying platypus and echidnas, monotreme.
- Can you repeat the word?
- [Bobby] Monotreme?
- Monotreme.
Am I saying that correctly?
- [Bobby] Monotreme.
- Oh, can I have the language of origin again?
- It's from a word that was formed in Latin from originally Greek parts - Monotreme.
M-O-N-A-T-R-I-M-E. - [Randy] I'm sorry, that's incorrect.
- And Hiya let's try a word for you.
Come on up.
- [Bobby] Your word is scorbutic.
- Scorbutic.
May I have the definition?
- It's of or relating to scurvy.
- Scorbutic.
Are there any alternate pronunciations?
- [Bobby] No.
- What's the language origin?
- It was originally...
It formed in Latin from an element, probably originally from Germanic plus a Latin element.
- Could you please use it in a sentence?
- [Bobby] Scorbutic disease became much less common after 1753 when Scottish naval surgeon James Lind showed that it could be prevented by consuming citrus juice which contained vitamin C. - Could you please repeat the word?
- [Bobby] Scorbutic - Scorbutic, am I saying it right?
- [Bobby] Scorbutic - Scorbutic.
Scorbutic.
S-C-O-R-B-U-T-I-C. Scorbutic - That is correct.
(audience applauds) - Alright, we have our second and third place winners today.
Hiya coming in second place.
Nina, third place.
And of course Rohith our winner today.
Congratulations to all and we will be back with a presentation of the trophy, so keep on watching.
- [Announcer] They're real life heroes from history.
- [Child] Here's Michelangelo, Bessie Coleman, Ruth Bader Ginsburg.
- [Announcer] And when Xavier, Brad and Idina have a problem.
- This is so hard.
- [Announcer] They travel back in time.
- Where are we?
- Looks like we're about to find out.
- [Announcer] To get inspired by extraordinary people.
- I can't just give up when things get tough.
- If you want to create something new, experiment, - You can be more than one thing.
- [Announcer] These heroes have all made a big difference in the world.
- Eureka.
- [Announcer] By helping others.
- I have the power to create change.
- [Announcer] Solving problems.
- Overcoming challenges makes me feel proud.
- [Announcer] And creating amazing things.
- Doing something well takes time.
- How much time are we talking?
- [Announcer] So go on an incredible adventure.
Hop in.
- Cool.
- [Announcer] And discover your inner hero.
- Kids like you can change the world - [Announcer] On Xavier Riddle and the Secret Museum.
Streaming free on PBS Kids.
- Alright.
And now I'm standing here with Mr. Raymond Jones.
Raymond, how is it going behind the desk.
- Having fun Jason.
And you know, you and I are sometimes co-hosts for Pet Pledge Friday.
Well I had to do it myself today and announce all those kids and read the funny little facts.
But I tell you, Bobby Fisher, don't ever take her on in Scrabble, she knows all the words.
I used to have to pronounce those.
Thank goodness I'm not doing it now.
It's like being a junior high school.
I spent a month learning words.
All I gotta do now is come on down.
- You're your best Bob Barker up there.
- Oh yeah, I look like Bob Barker.
They have all the makeup on me.
But it's fun.
You know it's fun every year.
The kids are fantastic.
And you know somebody like Rohith who won it twice in a row, you see these kids come along and you realize how brilliant they are.
Great parents.
You know, we just have a fun day.
It's a great day for WHRO.
Great for education, great for everybody.
- Absolutely, it was great to see it all go down and it was sad not to be there with you.
But I was in there with spirit and I was watching what you were doing.
It was fantastic.
- And I had my own anchor.
They built that desk for me.
That's my anchor desk for all these contests.
And I've done it every year since we started it.
Although one year it was only my voice 'cause I broke my arm at McDonald's getting coffee to come here for the rehearsal on a snowy, icy day, I got out to help this poor couple ahead of me that was spinning wheels, broke my arm in half.
But in the spirit I was still here in voice on some of the voice stuff other than that.
Been here for everyone.
- All 17 years?
- You betcha.
Yeah.
Wouldn't miss it.
- Well that's fantastic.
- I'm only 106 so you know.
I'll be here for a few more.
- You're like an advertisement for 106.
- You bet.
Woo.
Love it.
- Well thank you Raymond.
And let's go back to the bee.
- Well I'm here with our top three spellers and first off I can say you guys were all amazing.
Let's give them all rounds of applause.
(audience applauds) And now we will give out the trophies for third place Nina from Tabb Middle School, Congratulations.
- Thank you.
Thank you.
- Come back.
Then Hiya from Yorktown Middle School.
Congratulations.
(audience applauds) And I recognize this guy from somewhere before.
We've done this before.
Here you go.
Here's your trophy.
- Thank you very much.
- Here's your iPad.
And of course the all expense trip.
I was gonna say, so you've got this before.
First off, you've got a third place two years ago, last year you won, this year you won.
Do you have enough shelf space at home?
- We'll make some space.
- You'll find one.
And I believe last year when we were talking there was a thing about you and your dad and who's taller.
It is awfully close now.
It wasn't quite there last year but you're about the same.
- Your good.
- He doesn't want to admit it.
- He'll get there.
- So you were having National Spelling Bee last year.
You did great.
You came in 12.
- Thank you.
- Which was the best we've ever had at the RB here.
Yep.
The best we've ever had, so congratulations.
So tell us a little bit about what the bee was like last year, when you went - Last year.
Okay.
It was quite complicated.
I mean, well it's similar but you can ask root questions, which is the big difference.
Which helped a lot.
There are a lot more people.
It takes a lot more time.
It's a bigger test of your patients than anything, so.
- That's awesome.
So you're going back again in May.
Dad, tell me how you're feeling seeing your son do so well at the spelling bee.
- You know, it's just the hard work he is put through.
He plans his day out, which kind of shows in the result today, so.
- Yeah, I wanna know about your training for the bee.
Any certain tricks or things you do.
- So you learn the patterns for languages and then you memorize the words that go against the patterns.
- Very good.
I should learn that in school.
So watching you throughout the bee it didn't look like you really had any real concerns with any of the words today.
Is that true or were you just really cool under pressure?
- I'm very good at hiding my feelings I guess.
- Because you seem pretty confident with every word you spelled out.
- Yeah.
- Yeah.
Good.
Well congratulations.
We're looking forward to seeing you in May at the National Spelling Bee again and we'll be all rooting for you.
Congratulations (indistinct).
And we are now going back to Raymond with congratulations for our folks.
(audience applauds) - Alright, thank you Bert, and congratulations again.
I'd like to thank the judges and our pronouncer as well as the teachers and Spelling Bee coordinators who made the bee run so seamlessly.
A special thank you to the Parents, Scripps National.
And last but not least, I'd like to offer the heartiest thanks to all of our local Spelling Bee champions.
Well that's it for this year's bee.
Thanks to everyone for watching and we'll see you next year.
(audience applauds) (upbeat music) - Today's competition was melted to the floor.
Sweat, sweat, sweat, sweat, sweat, sweat.
Insert 1 million trillion sweats in there.
- I was surprised to spell like before, like in my school, I was like Rhinitis pigmentosa I was impressed by spelling that because it was pretty much like a long word.
So I was pretty impressed by spelling that.
- Time isn't waiting for you.
Time runs.
So like, you shouldn't be reluctant.
You should just study and study how.
- Today's competition was interesting.
I didn't expect to actually be in that long.
- Just make sure to have fun.
Don't worry about failing if even if you fail in the first round, it's important to have fun.
- It's kind of like a game of chess.
You're really excited but like you can't overthink.
You can't like burst out.
You have to control yourself.
- I big bat nephew, nail.
Woo.
(audience applauds) (upbeat music)
Support for PBS provided by:
WHRO Presents is a local public television program presented by WHRO Public Media