Update: Dunwoody fifth grader takes third in Scripps National Spelling Bee

Sarv Dharavane of Dunwoody first row second from left is one of nine spellers left in the Scripps National Spelling Bee Photo via Scripps social media Sarv Dharavane of Austin Elementary School in Dunwoody placed third in the th Scripps National Spelling Bee following a wild final round In the seventh round of the finals it was down to three contestants Dharavane Sarvadnya Kadam and Faizon Azko who was the runner up After Dharavane the youngest contestant in the finals misspelled the word acker a ruffle or patch of water and Kadam also out of the competition it fell to Azko to spell two words correctly to take the championship and the prize However Azko missed the mark on commelina and the the competition continued with the trio with Kadam and Dharvane returning for the next round Well this is unexpected Dharavane noted to the judges as the crowd burst out guffawing However he missed eserine a natural compound with a history of medicinal use securing his third place finish After Kadam failed in the next round Azko sealed the championship by spelling the next two words correctly including claircissement which he rattled off without asking the judges to repeat or define the word With his third place finish Dharavane takes home a prize package that includes in cash On the May semifinals Dharavane sailed through multiple rounds spelling complicated words like levallorphan a medication that acts as both an opioid antagonist and agonist and defining diminuendo a gradual decrease in loudness to make the finals The other Georgia speller Sara Daoud a seventh grader at of Greenbrier Middle School in Evans GA fell in the seventh round of the semifinals incorrectly spelling the word spirketing planking consisting of timbers that are heavier than the ceiling and are worked above the waterways in a wooden ship Others making the finals included Esha Marupudi Oliver Halkett Harini Murali Brian Liu Aishwarya Kallakuri and Akshaj Somisetty Sarv Dharavane Screenshot Dharavane who also represented Georgia in tied for nd place last year According to the Scripps website a field of top young spellers ranging from ages eight to competed in this year s competition During the broadcast on May commentators mentioned that in more million spellers participated at various levels of competition worldwide The national bee is celebrating its th year of existence Reaching years is more than a milestone it s a testament to the enduring power of words learning and the human spirit commented Corrie Loeffler executive director of the Scripps National Spelling Bee For a century this competition has brought people together through eras of profound change from world wars to the digital age and still the Bee continues to inspire excellence curiosity and connection It s a living piece of American history and we re honored to celebrate its legacy More than spellers returned from the field and spellers percent are competing in their first national bee according to Scripps Spellers come from all states and the District of Columbia Thirteen speller hailed from outside the United States representing the Bahamas Canada Germany Ghana Guam Kuwait Nigeria Puerto Rico and the U S Virgin Islands The post Update Dunwoody fifth grader takes third in Scripps National Spelling Bee appeared first on Rough Draft Atlanta