Three outstanding students from the Oxford School District, Diya Jobin, Raymond Sang, and Sagan Karthikeyan, have secured their spots in the upcoming Mississippi State Spelling Bee after achieving remarkable success in the county spelling bee and the subsequent online semi-finals.
Having clinched 1st, 2nd, and 3rd positions in the county spelling bee held in January, the talented spellers went on to excel in the Online Semi-Finals, where they earned a place among the Top 23 contestants. The online semi-finals, a new addition to the competition this year, showcased the prowess of the top spellers from each county, turning it into a fierce and high-stakes contest.
The Mississippi State Spelling Bee is scheduled to take place on Saturday, March 2, at 9:30 am on the Mississippi University for Women (MUW) campus in Columbus. The three-day event promises intense competition as the spellers vie for the coveted title.
In anticipation of the event, Sagan, Diya, and Raymond, along with their families, will arrive in Columbus on Friday afternoon. The spellers will partake in a series of “welcome to the campus” activities and will also be treated to a tour of the Mississippi School for Mathematics and Science.
The Scripps National Spelling Bee program in Mississippi has experienced significant growth over the past three years, with 317 schools from 42 counties participating. An impressive 8,000 students in grades 3 through 8 engaged in competitive spelling, progressing through classroom, grade, school, district, and county bees to reach the state level.
The online platform provided by Scripps played a crucial role in expanding participation, allowing more students to compete at a higher level of difficulty. Despite facing challenges such as winter weather, school closures, and technical issues, 120 spellers successfully completed the online semi-finals. The top 21 spellers from this round will now showcase their spelling and vocabulary skills on the state stage.
As the Mississippi State Spelling Bee approaches, the Oxford School District wishes Sagan, Diya, and Raymond the best of luck in representing their school and community.
