Ananya Joshi, a 6th grader at Roscoe Middle School, has been crowned the winner of the 40th Boone-Winnebago Regional Spelling Bee! Spelling the word "ensued" to seal the deal, Ananya accepted the 1st place trophy, which stood almost as tall as she is. Second place went to 7th grader Julia Kurien from Thurgood Marshall, while Aaron Austin from Harlem Middle School secured the third place plaque and prizes.
Miss Joshi is already a veteran competitor, having competed at the regional level in 2023 as a fifth grader. She shared that she trains many hours a day, but also has experience as a fan as her sister Avani placed 7th at the National Bee several years ago. Ananya was well-prepared with a consistent walk-up style, questioning mode, and a finger-writing practice that seemed to help her visualize her words.
Second place finisher, Julia Kurien, displayed composure beyond the average 7th grade student while competing on stage in front of approximately 100 audience members. In fact, we thought she was actually an 8th grader right up until event time. She was poised and well-practiced and seemed to draw a few of the more difficult words. We are rooting for Julia to try again at her school's 2025 Bee in hopes of landing under the lights at the regional competition for another go-around.
Aaron Austin was a confident speller with a broad smile and fun sense of humor, briefly bantering with the pronouncer several times throughout the evening. Undaunted by the large crowd and bright lights, Aaron took home the third place plaque as well as a $100 gift card at the close of the event. His bold voice and amiable disposition are sure to carry him far in his high school journey and in future competitions.
