For Immediate Release
March 13, 2020
ATLANTA –– They came from all corners of state; Cook and Effingham Counties and Calhoun City to Gwinnett, Clarke and Chatham Counties and points in between. They represented public, private, state charter, homeschool, and parochial schools. Twenty spellers ranging from 10- to 14-years-old, all with the same goal in mind – becoming Georgia’s next spelling champion.
After over 200 words over 25 rounds, 14-year-old Arushi Cumer from River Trail Middle in Fulton County emerged as the winner of the 59th Annual Georgia Association of Educators State Spelling Bee. She is now a two-time champion having won last year. She, and runner-up Ananya Augustine, from Eagle's Landing Middle school in Henry County, will both represent Georgia in the Scripps National Spelling Bee Championships in National Harbor, Maryland, May 24-30, 2020.
Starting in the 23rd round, Arushi and Ananya went back and forth missing words such as "hidradenitis, klimos, and objicient." But in he 25th round Ananya misspelled the word "Laogthrix." Arushi then spelled her next two words, "lomilomi" and "firnification" correctly to become the state's 2020 spelling champion.
"I am so excited," said Arushi. "I didn't expect to win again. But now I know more about how to prepare for nationals."
Runner-up Ananya, who will be joining Arushi at nationals, said she too was very excited. " I feel very good about what to expect at nationals and I'll continue to prepare with resources on the internet."
GAE President Charlotte Booker said, "We know both Arushi and Ananya will do a great job of representing Georgia at Scripps. We will all be rooting for them. Congratulations to all of these great young participants. It is a joy to see their self-confidence and how well they handled the pressure of competition. They are all champions and are all to be commended.”
In addition to her first place trophy and an all-expense paid trip to the national championship and $1,000 (GAE), Arushi also received an iPad Pro and a $100 Amazon gift card (Horace Mann Insurance Companies), a $50 Best Buy card (Cumming, GA), a one-year online subscription (Encyclopedia Britannica Premium), a 2019 U.S. Mint Proof Set (Samuel L. Sugarman Award), a Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary, 11th Ed. and a GAE Bee Champion lapel pin.
Ananya, as runner-up, took home a second place trophy and $500 (GAE), will also receive an all-expense paid trip to the national championship, an iPad Pro along with a $50 Amazon gift card (Horace Mann Insurance Companies), a one-year online subscription (Encyclopedia Britannica Premium), a 2019 U.S. Mint Proof Set (Samuel L. Sugarman Award), and a Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary, 11th Ed.
In addition, all contestants received a GAE State Bee lapel pin and participation certificate.
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View contest pics at: https://www.flickr.com/photos/gaecomm/albums/72157713462412603
Order of elimination-County/word/Round:
Nash Maglione (6W)
St. Anne Pacelli Catholic
Diocese of Savannah
Preposterous
2
Salvador Chavarria (7R)
Lake Forest Hill Elementary
Sieve
2
William Tran Phan (5R)
William McGarrah Elementary
Clayton County
Narcoleptic
2
Will Hurd (1R)
Calhoun (City) Middle
Ineptitude
(Vocab)
4
Aaron Nguy (3R)
Beverly Lake Elemenary
Gwinnett County
Phenotype
(Vocab)
4
Alicia Viera (1W)
Bremen (City) Middle
Violaceous
5
David Liu (GISA-W)
Athens Academy
Watkinsville
Floruit
5
Laione Johnson (9R)
Pataula Charter Academy
State Charter
Caryatid
5
Athena Villanueva (9W)
Cook County Middle
Dengue
5
Simmons Key (8R)
The Habersham School
Chatham County
Coterie
5
Skyler Wong (6R)
St. Joseph Catholic
Diocese of Savannah
Nictitate
5
Elizabeth Holland (2R)
Marietta Middle
Marietta City
Cassock
6
Marin Eckerson (GISA-R)
Whitefield Academy
Mabelton
Lefse
7
Nathan Hayes (8W)
Effingham County Middle
Piloncillo
8
Neel Krishnan (2W)
Simpson Middle
Cobb County
Bodhran
8
Samy El-Zahabi (4R)
State Bridge Crossing Elementary
Fulton County
Maison-Dieu
10
Clara Padgett (7W)
CRSA Home Education Association
Merotomy
11
Abhiram Kapaganty (3W)
Hull Middle
Gwinnett County
Tranche
22
Ananya Augustine (5W)
Eagle's Landing Middle
Henry County
State Runner-up
Lagothrix
24
Arushi Cumer (4W)
State Champion
Winnng Word:
Firnification
25