4 days ago
Local 5th grader eliminated in semifinals of 2025 Scripps National Spelling Bee
JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. (WJHL) — A Towne Acres Elementary School fifth grader made it to the semifinals of the 2025 Scripps National Spelling Bee. It was the bees' 100th anniversary.
Swetank Bangaru (#199) finished 41st in the semifinal round.
Bangaru was knocked out during round seven when he misspelled 'gyrencephalate' by only one letter. He correctly spelled 'hominin', 'whist', and 'conniption.' He also correctly defined 'pedantry' and passed a test threshold.
Bangaru's favorite food is Dosa, his favorite animal is a saltwater crocodile and his favorite color is sonic gray. Click here to read his full Scripps Speller's slide.
To win the Scripps National Spelling Bee, contenders must also master geography
This year's bee featured 243 contestants between the ages of 8 and 14. The spellers represented all 50 states and D.C., as well as Canada, the Bahamas, Germany, Ghana, Kuwait, Nigeria, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the Northern Mariana Islands.
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