Posted on 03/30/2005 9:04:33 AM PST by Graybeard58
MIDDLEBURY -- Most people probably don't know what the word necromancy means, let alone how to spell it.
But that's the word that's sending home-schooled eighth-grader Nicholas Marcucci to the Scripps National Spelling Bee in Washington, D.C., for the second year in row.
For the record, as television personality John Edwards probably knows, necromancy means to claim to tell the future through alleged communication with the dead.
Marcucci, 14, is headed to the 78th Scripps bee after winning, also for the second year in a row, the New Haven Register Spelling Bee.
This being the last year he can compete in the national competition, Marcucci, who made it to the fifth round of the 18-round competition last year, hopes to make it further this year.
"If I win enough money, I'm going buy a kayak," said the well-spoken Marcucci, who won $300 last year.
Additionally, Marcucci is looking forward to attending the D.C. event because he'll get to see some of his friends from Rhode Island. The Marcuccis are originally from Tiverton, R.I.
It's also fun for his whole family. "You get to do tons and tons of stuff," he said. "There's tours and games."
The competition will take place June 1 and 2. Marcucci will compete against hundreds of children who range in ages from 8 to 14. For the New Haven spelling bee, Marcucci, who is ranked 27th in the nation, studied a 400,000-word dictionary for about an hour-and-a-half per night. He said he'll probably double his study time for the national competition.
"Sometimes it drags me down," he said.
Marcucci's win of the New Haven spelling bee marks the third year in a row that at least one home-schooled child took the top spot in the New Haven competition. In 2002, there were two winners, one of which was a home-schooled child.
Marcucci is one of 11 students in Region 15 and one of about 2,156 school-aged children state-wide that are home-schooled, according to the state Department of Education. To supporters of home schooling, Marcucci's aptitude for spelling would come as no surprise.
Statistically, home-schooled children score higher than their peers in school, according to data from the National Home Education Research Institute.
According to a report from the Connecticut-based Yankee Institute for Public Policy Inc. between 1997 and 2000 home schoolers scored an average of 22.7 on a scale of 1-36 on the American College Test, compared with an average score of 21 for their out-of-home, schooled peers.
Still, Judith Andrews, the state education department's home-schooling consultant, said test scores are not the only method of determining a student's success.
"There are lots of other measures of a child's success," she said. "There's the socialization factor and the other skills they learn that shape the way they handle the outside world."
But Marcucci isn't sitting home twiddling his thumbs. "I'm involved with boy scouts ... and go kayaking with them," he said. "I play Chess and then there's baseball in the summer."
Andrews said there are a lot of reasons parents home-school their children.
"Some parents want to do it just for a year or two, just to try it," she said. "Some do it because they're traveling or because of something personal that's going on within the family."
Although Connecticut does have legal statutes for home schooling, it's up to the local school district how those statutes are interpreted, Andrews said. The state does not provide information to parents who are thinking of home schooling their children, but Andrews hopes to change that.
"I think we should in fact have a Web page or a fact sheet that we can give to parents," she said. "And we may in fact begin offering a set of answers to questions that parents may have about home schooling, but we have to get it cleared with our legal department first." Marrecca Fiore / Republican-American Nicholas Marcucci, 14, plays the piano in his Middlebury home. Marcucci, who is home-schooled, will compete for the second year in a row at the Scripps National Spelling Bee in Washington, D.C.
Thank you! We give all honor and praise to God above.
Bless His holy name!
You have FR mail.
congrats politicket - there is indeed a home school ping list and I believe Jedismom has already been alerted...... best of luck to your son! Let us know how he does in the contest.....
Good morning Whyisa. I figured you'd know who is on the home-school ping list. Great accomplishment by a non-public skrool edumakated kid.
It seems a home schooled kid quite often wins the National Spelling Bee......... poor unsocialized three headed beings that our children are.......lol
What ever are we going to do with our "Un-Socialism-ized" children? ;-)
He is the norm for home schooled kids - so I find it hilarious that those who hate home schooling spread propaganda that our kids are withdrawn and needy
Our "poor little almost 20 yr old" daughter attended a high school that may as well have been a private school or home-school. There weren't many liberal teachers there, and most were members of one of the local churches.
Her manners are much different than many of her peers. When she talks to her mom and me, it's always "Yes Mam" or "Yes Sir". That continues now that she is in college.
Her friend at UT told us that some of the Austin ISD students who enrolled there last fall have already dropped out. Guess they will be flipping burgers at McNasty's for a living.
Hey, you announced one, but the only ping list I've seen you run is the creationist one.
Do you run a home school ping list??
Scripter said 2Jedismom runs the list here ... maybe Rose of Sharon would know of anyone else perhaps?
I have huge one...let me ok it with everyone and take off anyone that doesn't want on it anymore and then I'll give it to you if it's ok with everyone and it's ok with you.
I don't have time to keep up with it any more!
Thanks for following through with this!!
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