From WCS inFocus
Page Middle spelling champ Sri Nemmani will represent Middle Tennessee next month at the 2018 Scripps National Spelling Bee in Washington D.C.
The eighth grader correctly spelling the word “khedive” to win first place at the Tennessee Titans Regional Spelling Bee March 10. He and his family will travel to the nation’s capital at the end of May for the national contest.
Sri entered his first spelling bee in sixth grade, but it wasn’t until this year that he made it past the regional round.
He says practice is the key to success. Sri reviews 1,500 words per weekday and 3,000 words during the weekend using a study program. He has to learn the grammatical practices in many languages. For instance, German words never start with a ‘c,’ always with a ‘k.’
“I use this program, and it gives you the diacritics of the word,” Sri said. “Then you type the word and it tells you if you’re right or wrong. After everything, I’ll study the ones that I get wrong.”
Sri has one good luck charm when going into competition.
“My only superstition is that I always wear blue to spelling bees,” Sri said.
At the end of May, Sri will take the stage with students from across the United States as well as from foreign countries to see who will come out on top.
“Being up there and spelling is one of my favorite things,” Sri said. “Winning is fun, too.”
