Watch CBS News

Students Compete For Top Spot At Spelling Bee

Follow CBSMIAMI.COM: Facebook | Twitter

MIAMI (CBSMiami) - A lesson in not only spelling, but also poise, hundreds of students participated Tuesday in the Annual Broward Herald Spelling Bee.

The winner of the 75th Annual Herald Spelling Bee elementary competition, emceed by CBS4 Meteorologist John Gerard, is Serenity Miller, a fourth grader from Wilton Manors Elementary.

The winning word, according to CBS4 news partners The Miami Herald, was egotistical.

Miller told the paper she used a program to help test her spelling and learned about the origins of some words.

Jacob Martin, a fifth grader at Lakeside Elementary, is excited about the competition.

"I'm excited I have butterflies in my stomach and I'm like tingly it's weird I'm nervous," Martin said.

The winner of the middle school competition was 13-year-old Trishala Kumar, an eighth-grader from American Heritage School in Plantation.

The winning word for Kumar was monody.

Kumar will represent her county and compete in the Scripps National Spelling Bee in Washington D.C.

CLICK HERE to watch Gaby Fleischman's report

"I feel great because I never thought I would this far really," said Sabit Razzak, a fifth grader competing to go to the nation's capital.

Some of the students said they have been studying non-stop for the event and were determined to win.  While many said they could feel the pressure, others were cool as a cucumber and confident to boot.

"I think it's very hard because there are a lot of words and languages. I've been preparing day by day and trying to get better.

On Tuesday, March 10, over 120 spellers from Broward County public and private schools, grades four through eight, competed at the spelling bee.

CBS4 news partner's The Miami Herald contributed to this report.

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.