Baltimore County elementary school student heading to Scripps National Spelling Bee
The national competition will be held from May 27 through May 29 at the Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center in Oxon Hill, Maryland.
"The words I'm studying are very challenging, but I am very excited for this great opportunity," Ray said.
According to BCPS, Ray's journey to the Scripps Bee began with her participation in the spelling bee club, which was funded by the Riderwood Elementary School PTA. A teacher, Jennifer Buchman, hosted the club meetings during fifth-grade lunch periods.
BCPS said Ray was one of two competitors from Riderwood at the Maryland Regional Bee.
The regional competition, presented by the Maryland Sports Commission, involves a 40-minute timed computerized spelling and vocabulary test, taken virtually. Ray won first place and achieved a near-perfect score of 34 out of 35 points.
Buchman describes as Ray an outstanding student who loves reading and science, and has a "passion for learning".
"She is curious about the natural world, how things work, and demonstrates this curiosity by always letting her interests lead her into excellence in all we do in school and outside of school," Buchman said.
According to the Scripps National Spelling Bee website, there are nine other competitors from Maryland.
The other competitors are:
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