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Spelling bee winner part of Indian-American streak
Associated Press ^ | June 5, 2010 | Lauren Sausser

Posted on 06/05/2010 4:57:13 AM PDT by reaganaut1

Shantanu Srivatsa and Anamika Veeramani sat nervously, side by side on stage.

Once again, an Indian-American was going to win the Scripps National Spelling Bee. It was just a matter of what word and what time on Friday.

Shantanu, 13, an eighth-grader from West Fargo, N.D., stepped to the microphone first and couldn't spell "ochidore."

Anamika — showing the cool demeanor she kept throughout — kept her hands behind her back and rattled off the correct letters for the medical term "stromuhr." She didn't crack a smile until the trophy was presented.

"It was too surreal," she said. "It was an amazing experience. I usually have a poker face, so that's what that was."

The 14-year-old girl from North Royalton, Ohio, won the 83rd bee, claiming the trophy and more than $40,000 in cash and prizes — some of which she says she intends to spend.

She also became the third consecutive Indian-American bee champion.

Indian-Americans comprise less than 1 percent of the U.S. population according to 2000 census data, but they have an impressive bee winning streak — taking the trophy in eight of the past 12 years.

"All of the past champions inspire me, they all have something different and they're all amazing people," Anamika said after the prime-time finals on Friday.

She survived the round by spelling "juvia" — a Brazil nut — and then had to sit through a tense 3 1/2-minute commercial before spelling the championship word.

"It was just really nerve-racking," Anamika said. "The commercial breaks didn't really help."

The finals were preceded by an unpopular move that had some spellers and parents claiming the bee was unfair and had kowtowed too much to television.

(Excerpt) Read more at news.yahoo.com ...


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KEYWORDS: anamikaveeramani; indianamericans; spellingbee
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To: reaganaut1

Hmmmm— hard work, diligence, and a healthy respect for education, culture, and learning. Who knew that’s a recipe for success?

/s

Some of the permanently aggrieved braying jackasses in our inner cities and the libtard apologists who moan about “bad schools” in our cities should ponder that it’s the “bad kids” who MAKE the “bad schools” bad . If the parents and kids were to emulate these kids in the article, they might turn things around for themselves.

But, that’s hard-better to just sit around and make excuses....


41 posted on 06/05/2010 8:16:04 AM PDT by Mac from Cleveland ("See what you made me do?" Major Malik Hasan)
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To: Mac from Cleveland
But, that’s hard-better to just sit around and make excuses....

That's how they compete, and they are very competitive, as we have seen from those thugs from Chicago who now control the White House. They all actively choose to join the parasitic "looters"; the more looting, the more self esteem.

42 posted on 06/05/2010 8:33:25 AM PDT by King Moonracer (Bad lighting and cheap fabric, that's how you sell clothing.....)
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To: Sacajaweau
To be able to spell obscure words or names of nuts is not some great accomplishment.

It's certainly not particularly useful for the average person, but neither are many other competitions. (Tax-chick, Virginia high school spelling champion, 1984. )

43 posted on 06/05/2010 9:17:24 AM PDT by Tax-chick (The Internet. It makes me laugh.)
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To: Izzy Dunne
try to bring others down to their own level, rather than elevate themselves

Socialism 101. Teach socialism in schools through experience and by living it. It's the best way to learn.

44 posted on 06/05/2010 9:36:26 AM PDT by libh8er
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To: Sacajaweau; Tax-chick
To be able to spell obscure words or names of nuts is not some great accomplishment....

Please don't floccinaucinihilipilificate. Everything has its worth.

45 posted on 06/05/2010 9:41:43 AM PDT by libh8er
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To: mewzilla
My hat’s off to the young lady. Brava!

That girl is so good, the computer Spell Checker goes to her for help.....

46 posted on 06/05/2010 10:13:14 AM PDT by Hot Tabasco (Peanut butter was just peanut butter until I found Free Republic.........)
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To: Sacajaweau
The idea that spelling a kind of a nut makes one a champion is ridiculous.

I'd ask you to spell one of the contest words but then I'd have to spell it out for you......

47 posted on 06/05/2010 10:19:46 AM PDT by Hot Tabasco (Peanut butter was just peanut butter until I found Free Republic.........)
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