The start of summer is marked by different events for different people. For some, it's the end of the school year. For others, it's Memorial Day Weekend- you go out with the family for a nice outdoors camping trip, and you come back to summer. For still others, it's an exact date...June 21st, I believe. (Also happens to be around when the days stretch out to their fullest).
However, in recent years for me, the start of summer has been marked by a distinct event: The Scripps National Spelling BEE! Yup, that's right, I haven't posted for awhile, but you didn't think I'd forgotten about it, did you? Last year around this time I was positively buzzing about the bee, expounding the virtues of the wonderful competition and predicting heroic success for one Josephine Kao....this year, I've been mellower about the whole deal (and a bit busier), but I still believe in both of those things, both that the spelling bee is an awesome concept and that Josephine was one a great success and an inspirational story. There could only be one year per year, however, and last year it was Kavya Shivashankar, the anointed one and probably the most "destined" speller at the bee.
This year, some great story lines come to the bee, including last year's champion handing off the reins to her sister, another 2nd place finisher trying to break the runner-up curse (see Sidharth Chand, Samir Patel), a rising star from the north, and so many more. Here's a look at my power rankings for the National Spelling Bee this year, from bottom up.
7. Anamika Meerani- Among the seeming plethora of unknowns in last year's bee was Anamika from Cleveland of all places, who astonishingly finished 5th in her first time from the bee. She's back in her last year of eligibility (eighth grade), but experience is not on her side: In this decade, 2000-2010, EVERY single winner of the spelling bee has won it on his/her 3rd try or later at the bee, a stat that overwhelmingly suggests you need to keep coming again and again. Being in eighth grade really helps, but 2nd time or fewer spells longer odds.
6.The Unknown speller: Every year there is a speller or 2 (Tim Ruiter last year) who sneaks out of nowhere and makes a deep run in the tourney. And because of the sheer mass of the field (274, which is actually DOWN from years past), it becomes all the more likely that one of them will make a Top 4 or 3 finish. But they won't win. See above.
5. Brandon Whitehead: California is usually well-represented in the bee, and this guy comes from a place I just visited: El Centro, CA, right on the border of Mexico. Brandon's been active in the bee for 4 years now (since 2007), finished 37th in the bee last year, and has that magic formula of 3+ years of bee experience + eighth grader. Could make deep run.
4. Laura Newcombe: I've closely followed the Laura Newcombe story since she won the 2009 Canspell (Canada) spelling bee, and I gotta say, it's an intriguing story. Beating a bunch of girls and guys 30% older than her, she not only held her own last year but then repeated this year, earning the one and only spot in Team Canada at this year's Scripps Spelling Bee. (That's right, there's only ONE Canadian this year!). The lone hope for her country, she will bring back images of Finola Hackett, the last 2-time Canadian champion who went toe-to-toe with Kerry Close in 2006 in possibly the best Spelling Bee finals EVER. Rooting for her, but I believe her time will come in 2011, her eighth grade and third-time's-the-charm-year-for-her. This year she'll get close enough to taste it.
3. Nicholas Rushlow: Gotta admit, didn't know this guy existed coming in, but really like his charisma and work ethic. Already on his third time at the bee, the guy's ONLY in sixth grade!!!!! He'll probably be frontrunners with Laura Newcombe next year, but watch out for this guy this year too.
2. Tim Ruiter: As thoroughly detailed by me last year, the 2nd-place curse DOES exist at the bee, and unfortunately for Tim, he's going to fall victim to it this year. Seems like he's got a lot of momentum coming in, but will pressure of the best finisher from last year get to him?
1. Neetu Chandak: As all the prognosticators like Darren Rovell and Paul Loeffler of ESPN and ALOTTMA like to reiterate, the bee is all about experience, experience, experience. This year's field is actually wide open, with no clear-cut favorite (unlike 2009, 2007) that everyone expects to win. However, if there is someone who's resume distinguishes her from the rest, it's Neetu from Seneca Falls, NY. The only 4-year repeater, she's also a 14-year-old eighth grade who should be mature enough to handle the pressure and get through the toughest words systematically. However, she will have to deal with a lot of pressure and assuredly an ESPN montage of her life before one of the National Final rounds. But if there is money to be put somewhere, it's right here. Neetu, I believe in you!
Other intriguing stories: Like an Olympic champion passing on the torch, Kavya Shivashankar passes on the torch to another potential winner of the future, her sister Vanya, who we've already known for 2 years thanks to montages with Kavya and interviews with Erin Andrews. This year she'll just get a taste of the bee; like a baseball prospect in Triple-A ball, she'll be ready to dominate in a few years.
Even more amazing than Nicholas Rushlow is this guy from Bridgeport, Conn, Rahul Malayappan (his last name is a spelling word) who is TEN and already doing his 3rd time at the bee. AND he and his Dad BLOG about the bee!!!! AMAZING kid. Probably not his time this year, but imagine when he's 11, or 12!!!! Again, proof that this might be the last window of opportunity for a large field this year, where in 2011 and 2012 there will be very established frontrunners to come back and take the trophy.
Again, for all the spellers, as much as the audience (like myself) at home like to speculate for a winner, really being at the spelling bee is a victory in itself, seriously, it's like a conglomeration of the United Nation of spellers, all the best kids in the world gather together in one of the remaining purely intellectual displays of prowess left in the world. I'm hooked on it every year, and I'll be watching (and hopefully covering it) extensively in the days to come!!!!
Fantasize on,
Robert Yan
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