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Speller No. 19, Ramya AuropremSan Francisco Chronicle, San
Francisco, CaliforniaAge 21, 8th gradeSchool: Joaquin Miller Middle
SchoolHometown: San Jose, California
Ramya is fascinated by linguistics and is eager to learn new
languages. She is fluent in Tamil andis currently studying French,
and she delights in finding connections between languages.
Sheinformally teaches Tamil to the children in her neighborhood.
Ramya loves reading novels byLouisa May Alcott "because of the way
simple ideas and stories are beautified in herworks." Ramya's other
hobbies include listening to music and bicycling.
Speller No. 65, Serena Laine-LobsingerPalm Beach Spelling Bee
Collaborative, West Palm Beach, FloridaAge 21, 8th gradeSchool:
Parents Educating Children Home School AssociationHometown: West
Palm Beach, Florida
Serena enjoys interior design, sewing, and learning to play
guitar and piano. In her spare timeshe likes photographing nature
or cityscapes and going shopping. Serena has a passion forwriting
and literature, namely historical fiction and classics. Her
favorite author is Jane Austen.Serena participated in the 2008
national finals.
Speller No. 88, Kyle MouPeoria Journal Star, Peoria, IllinoisAge
21, 8th gradeSchool: Dunlap Middle SchoolHometown: Peoria,
Illinois
Kyle enjoys his time spent as a member of his school's
scholastic bowl team. Other favoritehobbies include reading,
playing chess and computer games, and drawing. He is keen to
meetPresident Obama because he is "interested in what it's like to
be president during acrisis." He would like to pursue a career in
scientific research and biology. Kyleparticipated in the 2007 and
2008 national finals, tying for 10th place in 2008.
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Speller No. 89, Aishwarya PastapurThe State Journal-Register,
Springfield, IllinoisAge 21, 8th gradeSchool: Glenwood Middle
SchoolHometown: Springfield, Illinois
Aishwarya, a voracious reader and dedicated student, has
participated in university talentsearches and scholastic bowl
competitions. As team captain, she was instrumental in leading
herMathcounts team to state-level competition by winning first
place in county-level competitiontwo years in a row. Her role model
is Amelia Earhart because "she followed her passion anddreams no
matter what anyone said." Aishwarya represented the Topeka Journal
in the 2006 and2007 national finals.
Speller No. 103, Kennyi AouadThe Tribune-Star, Terre Haute,
IndianaAge 21, 8th gradeSchool: Otter Creek Middle SchoolHometown:
Terre Haute, Indiana
Kennyi is a member of his school's Mathcounts team--a team that
placed second inregional competition and also qualified for state
competition. He plays clarinet in hisschool's band. Also, he loves
to read: The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by MarkTwain is his
favorite book. Kennyi participated in the 2007 and 2008 national
finals and is well-known for conquering the giggles to correctly
spell sardoodledom in the 2007 Bee.
Speller No. 139, Sidharth ChandThe Oakland Press, Pontiac,
MichiganAge 21, 8th gradeSchool: Detroit Country Day
SchoolHometown: Bloomfield Hills, Michigan
Sidharth enjoys competing. He participates in science fairs and
plays competitive chess on hisschool's chess team. He is also on
his school's soccer team. In his free time Sidharthlikes to read or
play tennis. An avid philatelist, he has collected multiple stamps
and postageitems from around the world. Sidharth enjoys all of his
school courses, but he has the deepestappreciation for math and
science. He would like to be a neurosurgeon. Sidharth placed
secondin the 2008 national finals.
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Speller No. 158, Tussah HeeraLas Vegas Review-Journal, Las
Vegas, NevadaAge 21, 8th gradeSchool: Home SchoolHometown: Las
Vegas, Nevada
Tussah loves to immerse herself in music. She plays piano and
cello and often composes herown scores. Tussah placed first in the
2008 Nevada Music Teachers National Association juniorpiano
competition and has soloed with several local orchestras. Her other
interests range frombotany to Shakespeare. Tussah is fond of
writing poems and prose. Her favorite sports are divingand
swimming, and she admires the athletic achievements of Michael
Phelps and Guo Jingjing.
Speller No. 170, Neetu ChandakFinger Lakes Times, Geneva, New
YorkAge 21, 7th gradeSchool: Seneca Falls Middle SchoolHometown:
Seneca Falls, New York
Neetu excels in math and music. She has participated in a
regional math competition and playedclarinet in an all-county band
concert. Neetu's favorite pastimes include badminton,basketball,
hiking, and swimming. She collects coins and rocks and also speaks
Hindi. Neetuaspires to become an architect or interior designer.
This is Neetu's third consecutiveappearance in the national
finals.
Speller No. 201, Anamika VeeramaniThe Plain Dealer, Cleveland,
OhioAge 21, 7th gradeSchool: Incarnate Word AcademyHometown: North
Royalton, Ohio
Anamika takes private lessons in violin, Indian classical music,
dance, and golf. She has wonseveral regional and national awards in
science, math, essay-writing, and vocabulary contests.Anamika
aspires to attend Harvard Medical School, where she hopes to
specialize incardiovascular surgery. She would like to author books
in her spare time.
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Speller No. 276, Tim RuiterTimes Community Newspapers, Reston,
VirginiaAge 20, 7th gradeSchool: NOVATAG-FairfaxHometown:
Centreville, Virginia
A fan of science fiction and fantasy, Tim has devoted a lot of
time to Star Wars, Star Trek, andThe Lord of the Rings. He's
studied the character of Gollum enough to pull off a
terrificimpression. Tim's team won the Virginia Regional Middle
School Science Bowl, securingan opportunity to compete in the
National Science Bowl in May. Tim's sciencebackground will help him
as a future matriculant at the Massachusetts Institute of
Technology,where he hopes to study physics or chemistry.
Speller No. 110, Kavya ShivashankarThe Olathe News, Olathe,
KansasAge 21, 8th gradeSchool: California Trail Junior High
SchoolHometown: Olathe, Kansas
Kavya enjoys practicing her violin, bicycling, swimming, and
learning Indian classical dance.She names Nupur Lala, the 1999
Scripps National Spelling Bee champion, as her role modeland the
inspiration for her spelling career. She has plans for her future
career as well: She looksforward to becoming a neurosurgeon. Kavya
participated in the 2006, 2007, and 2008 nationalfinals--tying for
10th, 8th, and 4th place, respectively.
THE 2009 SCRIPPS NATIONAL SPELLING BEECHAMPIONSHIP FINALS
THURSDAY, MAY 268:00 P.M.LIVE ON ESPN
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