It took 36 rounds, including 27 between the two finalists, to determine the winner of this year’s Middle School Spelling Bee before Shivani Sundar ’31 emerged victorious. The seventh grader correctly spelled CITADEL and INVECTIVE to clinch the title. Defending champion Melanie Diaz ’30 finished second and Xavier Gehl ’32 placed third. The top three finishers received ribbons from Mrs. Kirstin Rogers, Middle School Head.
Sixteen students qualified as finalists in advisory competitions earlier in January. All sat proudly on the big stage in the Berry Performing Arts Center with parents, teachers, classmates and friends in attendance. It took nine rounds to eliminate all but two of the finalists, who proceeded to spell 24 consecutive words correctly in a showdown of excellence.
Other Middle School students who qualified for the finals include: Kristine Skyers ’31, Jacob Shin ’32, Aubree Wiafe-Agyekum ’32, Akira Vijay ’32, Alanna Augustin ’30, Adhrit Pramanik ’32, Jaiden Saint Louis ’31, Addison Terrell ’32, Adithya Raj ’32, Ella Jones ’32, Lexington Donahue ’30, Devansh Gandhi ’32 and Jaxson Simeonidis ’30.
As the W+H champion, Shivani is eligible to continue on to the Middlesex County Spelling Bee Championship, which is scheduled for March 14.