I watched the spelling bee itself, and they mentioned it there. It was a pretty amazing performance by a pretty amazing kid. I think he knew all the words, didn’t have to sound anything out. At the end he said spelling is just massive memorization. I think this kid memorized thousands and thousands of difficult words and had all bases covered going into the match. Totally amazing.
I watched it, too - and they did say at the end that he was home-schooled, but all the way through the bee, they always said his sponsor’s name, which was the Contra Costa Times newspaper.
The other kids were announced with their schools’ names.
He was funny in his after-bee interview, very taciturn. Didn’t really want to say much. He evidently had said earlier that he didn’t like the Bee very much - and the interviewer asked if winning had changed his mind.
LOL, he wouldn’t say! Said he preferred math and music - that spelling is just memorization - and I noted his disdain at that word.
Yeah, he did say he knew the word serrefine the minute the pronouncer said it.
Yea, but he claims math and music are his real loves. The kid is amazing.