Nevada student spells hypocrisy, dactylogram, but fails to make bee finals
NATIONAL HARBOR, Md.
Amna Raza’s run in the 2013 Scripps National Spelling Bee came to an end Wednesday despite a perfect onstage performance.
Raza, a seventh-grader from Las Vegas, correctly spelled “hypocrisy” and “dactylogram” during preliminary rounds that saw 281 competitors whittled down to 239.
But those remaining were reduced to 42 based on the results of a 45-minute computer spelling and vocabulary test that students took on Tuesday. The survivors advanced to semifinals that will take place today at the Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center outside Washington, D.C.
“She did great. I really adore her,” said father Ali Raza after Amna was not called on stage to join semifinalists at the end of a long day of competition.
The 13-year-old student from Omar Haikal Islamic Academy already has inspired her 6-year-old brother, Bilal, to become a bee contestant.
“He thinks he can beat me. He already memorized my winning word,” Amna said. In March, she won the Nevada State Spelling Bee, sponsored by the Las Vegas Review-Journal, by correctly spelling “efficacy.”
The written exam on Tuesday included a new vocabulary section that Ali Raza said could have been his daughter’s downfall. They hadn’t spent much time preparing for it, he said.
Raza expects his daughter will compete again to represent Nevada.
“She has one more year (to participate),” he said.
Ali and wife Nureen, Bilal and three teachers from her school were in the auditorium to watch Amna participate in two preliminary rounds.
In the morning, Amna made quick work of “hypocrisy” — skipping the chance to ask for its definition, alternative pronunciation or language of origin.
She said she knew the word because her father had asked her to spell it the night before.
Asked how many words they had run through ahead of the event, she answered, “Thousands.”
In the afternoon, Amna took a little more time to correctly spell “dactylogram” — another word for fingerprint. She asked for the definition and language of origin before quickly spelling out the word.
Ali and Nureen Raza immigrated to the United States from Pakistan. They own a pharmacy in Las Vegas.
While she enjoys spelling, Amna said she also likes to draw and bake.
The competition continues this afternoon for the remaining 42 semifinalists. The championship finals will air live on ESPN starting at 5 p.m. PDT. The winner will take home more than $30,000 in cash and prizes.
The addition of the vocabulary test was a major twist to the spelling bee, which has been held every year since 1925 except for a hiatus between 1942 and 1946 because of World War II.
The Associated Press contributed to this report. Contact Stephens Washington Bureau reporter Peter Urban at purban@stephensmedia.com or 202-783-1760.
