14-year-old spells her way to fifth round of national bee

Friday, June 3, 2005 | 12:00 a.m. CDT; updated 6:03 p.m. CDT, Wednesday, July 16, 2008
BY JULIE WYATT

Misspelling “merganser”— a type of saw-billed sea duck — cost 14-year-old Jessy Hwang of Columbia her place in this week’s 78th annual Scripps National Spelling Bee.

However, she was one of 51 finalists who advanced to the fifth round on the final day of competition Thursday. Anurag Kashyap of Poway, Calif., took first place with “appoggiatura,” a term in music.

Jessy, an eighth-grader from Jefferson Junior High School, was one of 273 spellers vying for the championship title in Washington, D.C. She is a returning competitor at the spelling bee, having tied for 16th place in last year’s national finals.

Barbara Moore, a guidance counselor at Jefferson, said Jessy’s success is rooted in her commitment and motivation.

“She’s a very dedicated student, dedicated to learning everything,” Moore said.

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