(bright upbeat music) (audience applauding) - Welcome, everyone, to the TowneBank Spelling Bee.

I'm Anne Conner, coming to you from the WHRO Studios, and we're delighted to be part of this very special event.

This spelling bee is all about celebrating students, their curious minds, their hard work, and their courage to step up to the microphone.

Every speller here has put in hours of practice and shown a real love of learning.

And today is a chance to cheer for all of that dedication.

As a sponsor, TowneBank is honored to simply support the great things happening in our community, because enriching lives often starts with giving young people opportunities to grow, shine, and discover what they can accomplish.

To all our spellers, take a deep breath, trust your preparation, and have fun.

You've earned your place here, and we can't wait to see you give it your best.

(groovy pop-rock music) (audience applauding) - Hello, and welcome to this year's TowneBank Spelling Bee.

My name is Jason Kypros, and I'm joined with Wendy Hazel, a former spelling bee producer.

Wendy, your behind-the-scenes knowledge is gonna be really helpful to everyone today.

Tell us a little bit about what you've seen in the years past.

- I'll tell you what?

This is one of the biggest productions that WHRO does.

It takes about 80 crew, staff, volunteers to put this on.

It's months of preparation, and we are all so happy to be here for the TowneBank Spelling Bee.

It is one of the best days of the year.

- [Jason] There's definitely a buzz in the atmosphere for this bee.

Now, it takes a lot as well, not just to put the show together, but also for these young spellers to make it to this part of the competition.

Tell us a little bit about that.

- They walk in the door champions, because they are champions of their school bees, and they've studied words and words and words, and then once they win their school bee, they get the "Words of the Champions" to study.

That's 4,000 words.

- 4,000 words.

- And so that's to prepare them for this bee as well as for the National.

- [Jason] That's a lot of preparation.

Now, of course, in this competition today, it's done in rounds with each speller making their way to the microphone.

What are some of the things that we might expect to see as the spellers make their way up to get their competition word?

- Well, these spellers have been practicing, and they've been studying very, very hard.

And so they are going to ask, they are gonna ask what's the language of origin, they're gonna ask for a definition, and they're gonna ask for the word in a sentence so that they make sure they understand the word they're supposed to spell.

- So not just stalling, really using these techniques to really understand what it is that they're supposed to spell.

- Exactly.

And that's just learning the language, too.

- So interesting.

I am excited.

We're all excited.

We have 45 kids from across the region today, as well as a room full of proud parents ready to cheer them on.

Here they go.

Look at them go.

(laughs) Yes!

(audience cheering) (audience applauding) And we're ready.

They're ready.

So let's go down to this TV studio, the spelling room floor, and introduce one of our pronouncers.

We have writer, editor, and library enthusiast Bobbie Fisher joining us for her 19th year with the bee.

And she welcomes our first speller, Josiah Thompson, from Princess Anne Middle School to the mic.

- [Bobbie] Your word is, has a homonym or can be confused with another word.

The word is slab.

- Can I have a definition?

- It is a comparatively thick plate or slice of something such as metal, stone, wood, or food.

Slab.

- Slab.

S-L-A-B.

"Slab."

- Correct.

- [Jason] And now, Hiya Singh from Yorktown Middle School, making her way to the mic.

- Your word also has a homonym or could be confused with another word.

The word is daisy.

It is a noun, and it is a low European herb having flower heads with small white or pink ray flowers and yellow disc flowers.

Daisy.

- Daisy.

May I please have the language origin?

- [Bobbie] It's originally English.

- Daisy.

D-A-I-S-Y.

"Daisy."

- [Randy] Correct.

- [Jason] All right.

And now we have Kieran White from Poquoson Middle School coming to the mic for their first word.

- [Bobbie] Your word this round is coach.

- Coach.

C-O-A-C-H.

"Coach."

- [Randy] Correct.

- [Jason] Confidently making it through that word, bringing Levi Thompson from Independence Middle School right up.

- Your word is giggle.

- Giggle.

G-I-G-G-L-E.

"Giggle."

- [Randy] Correct.

- [Jason] Excellent.

And now, Nathan Petzar from Tabb Middle School makes his way for his first word.

- [Bobbie] And your word this round is onion.

- May I have the definition?

- It's a widely cultivated plant that has slender, hollow, tubular leaves and an edible, rounded bulb.

It's notable for its strong, sharp smell and taste, and it's widely used as a vegetable.

- Onion.

O-N-I-O-N.

"Onion."

- [Randy] Correct.

- [Jason] All right, and now coming to the mic, Taddy Evasco representing Lansdowne Middle School.

- [Bobbie] Your word this round is talent.

- Talent.

T-A-L-E-N-T.

"Talent."

- Correct.

- Not wasting any time with that word.

- No, not at all.

- Now we have Gauge Morgan representing Mary Passage Middle School.

- [Bobbie] Your word is portal.

- May we please give the definition?

- It's a door, a gate, an entrance, especially a grand or imposing one.

Portal.

- Portal.

P-O-R-T-A-L.

"Portal."

- [Randy] Correct.

- [Jason] All right.

We are moving along.

Bringing Suhani Joshi from Hampton Roads Academy.

- [Bobbie] Your word is useful.

- Useful.

Can you repeat the word, please?

- Useful.

- Useful.

May I have all the information, please?

- Sure.

The word is formed from a word that passed from Latin to French to English, plus an English element.

It's an adjective, meaning advantageous, especially producing or having the power to produce good.

And the sentence, "The internet is useful for finding information quickly."

- Useful.

U-S-E-F-U-L.

"Useful."

- [Randy] Correct.

- [Jason] She got all of her useful information for that word.

- She sure did.

- [Jason] And now we see Hazel Fowler representing Kilgore Gifted Center.

- Your word has a homonym, or could be confused with another, so let me tell you, the word is scent.

It is a word that passed from the Latin to French to English.

It's a verb, and it means to perceive by the olfactory organs or to smell.

Scent.

- Scent.

S-C-E-N-T.

"Scent."

- [Randy] Correct.

- [Jason] Well done, Hazel.

Which will bring Mason Young from Broadwater Academy up to the mic for their first word.

- [Bobbie] Your word is endure.

- Endure.

E-N-D-U-R-E.

"Endure."

- [Randy] Correct.

- [Jason] Excellent.

And now our next speller, Chudi Zhou from Grafton Middle School.

- [Bobbie] And your word is yammer.

- May I have a definition, please?

- [Bobbie] It means to talk persistently or volubly and often loudly.

- Could I have it used in a sentence, please?

- Julianne was very patient while her toddler would yammer about his adventures at preschool.

- Yammer.

Y-A-M-M-E-R.

"Yammer."

- Excellent.

- [Randy] Correct.

- [Jason] Well done.

All right, coming to the mic now, Lillian Boafo from Peasley Middle School.

- [Bobbie] Your word is abolish.

- Abolish.

May I have the definition, please?

- It means to do away with wholly.

- Abolish.

A-B-O-L-I-S-H.

"Abolish."

- [Randy] Correct.

- [Jason] Excellent.

As we move right along, Sahil Kothari from Norfolk Academy.

- This word has a homonym or could be confused with another word.

The word is timber.

It's a noun meaning wood used or suitable for buildings like a house or a boat, or for carpentry or joinery.

Timber.

- Timber.

T-I-M-B-E-R.

"Timber."

- Correct.

- [Wendy] Another well done.

- [Jason] Well done again.

Rhowan Sigler now from Hickory Middle School, making their way to the mic.

- And you've also got a homonym or word that could be confused with another.

The word is warning.

It's a noun meaning a notice, bulletin, or signal that serves to caution the approach of danger.

- Warning.

W-A-R-N-I-N-G.

"Warning."

- [Randy] Correct.

- [Jason] And now Stevie Mutrie from Salem Middle School will step forward for their first word of this competition.

- [Bobbie] Your word: shaggy.

- Shaggy.

May I please have a definition?

- It means covered with, possessing, or consisting of usually long, coarse, or matted hair.

- Shaggy.

Shaggy.

S-H-A-G-G-Y.

"Shaggy."

- Correct.

- Thank you.

- [Jason] Now we'll see Henry Weeks from Academy for Discovery at Lakewood.

- [Bobbie] The word is rambling.

- Can I get a definition, please?

- It means straying from subject to subject, often incoherent or meandering.

- Rambling.

R-A-M-B-L-I-N-G.

"Rambling."

- [Randy] Correct.

- [Jason] All right.

And now, Brooklyn Ellison from Larkspur Middle School.

- [Bobbie] Your word is bystander.

- Bystander.

Can I have the definition, please?

- It means one present, but not taking part.

A chance spectator.

- Bystander.

B-Y-S-T-A-N-D-E-R.

- [Randy] Correct.

- [Jason] Now coming to the mic, Elise Olimpo from Brandon Middle School.

- [Bobbie] Your word is sunflower.

- Can I have the definition, please?

- It means of or resembling any of various plants with large yellow-rayed flower heads bearing edible seeds that yield an edible oil.

- Sunflower.

S-U-N-F-L-O-W-E-R.

"Sunflower."

- [Randy] Correct.

- [Jason] All right.

Now, Denzel Johnson from Elisabeth City Middle School will have his first turn at the mic.

- [Bobbie] Your word has a homonym or a word that could be confused with another.

The word is handyman.

It's a noun, and it refers to one who performs miscellaneous or routine tasks, such as at a home, a public building, a factory, or a laboratory.

Handyman.

- Handyman.

H-A-N-D-Y-M-A-N.

"Handyman."

- [Randy] Correct.

- [Jason] Very confident job there.

And now Yarnell Deh from Bayside Middle School.

- [Bobbie] And you also have a word that's a homonym or could be confused with another.

Your word is doneness.

It is a noun, and it refers to the condition of being cooked to the desired degree.

- [Yarnell] Can you repeat the word, please?

- Doneness.

- Doneness.

Can you repeat the word one more time?

- Doneness.

- Can I have the word in a sentence, please?

- Patrick checked the roast beef for doneness before serving it to his guests.

- And can I have the definition one more time?

- Sure, it's the condition of being cooked to the desired degree.

- Doneness.

D-O-N-E-N-E-S-S.

"Doneness."

- [Randy] Correct.

- [Jason] Excellent work.

All right.

And now Jisca Riel from St.

Matthew's School makes her way to the mic.

- [Bobbie] Your word is flashback.

- May I have the definition, please?

- It's a literary or theatrical technique that's used in motion picture and television that involves interruption of the chronological sequence of events by interjection of events or scenes of earlier occurrence.

- Can you repeat the word, please?

- [Bobbie] Flashback.

- Flashback.

F-L-A-S-H-B-A-C-K.

"Flashback."

- [Randy] Correct.

- [Wendy] Make sure you know the word you're spelling.

- [Jason] Absolutely.

And now Joy Billups from ECPPS Micro School makes their way to the mic.

- This word has a homonym or could be confused with another word.

Your word is funnel.

It's a noun referring to a utensil that has typically a hollow cone with a tube extending from the point, designed to catch and direct a downward flow of liquid or some other substance.

- Can you repeat the word?

- [Bobbie] Funnel.

- Definition?

- It's a utensil that has typically a hollow core with a tube extending from the point designed to catch and direct a downward flow of liquid or some other substance.

- Can you put it in a sentence?

- To avoid a spill, Maryanne uses a funnel when refilling the windshield wiper fluid in her car.

- F-U-N-E-L.

(bell dings) - [Wendy] That bell means the word was misspelled.

- All right.

And now, Devendra Gopaul from Queens Lake Middle School steps forward for their first word.

(bell dings) Your word is income.

- May I have the definition, please?

- It's a gain or recurrent benefit that's usually measured in money and for a given period of time and derives from capital, labor, or a combination of both.

- Can you repeat the word, please?

- Income.

- Can you use it in a sentence, please?

- [Bobbie] Bobby took his friends out to dinner to celebrate getting a new job that would nearly double his annual income.

- Income.

I-N-C-O-M-E.

"Income."

- [Randy] Correct.

- [Jason] A lot of focus in this room right now as Emmalyn Perez from Norfolk Collegiate School steps forward for her first word.

- [Bobbie] Your word for this round is fadeaway.

- Fadeaway.

F-A-D A-W-A-Y.

(bell dings) - [Jason] All right.

And now Sawyer Eversole from Kempsville Middle School steps forward for their first word.

- [Bobbie] Your word is mercury.

- Can I get the definition?

- It's a heavy, silver-white, poisonous element that is the only liquid metal at ordinary temperatures.

- Mercury.

M-E-R-C-U-R-Y.

"Mercury."

- [Randy] That's correct.

- [Jason] And our next speller making their way to the mic is Elliot Morrison from Trinity Lutheran School.

- Your word has a homonym or can be confused with another word.

The word for you is scandal.

It's a noun, meaning a circumstance or action that offends propriety or established moral conceptions or disgraces those associated with or involved in it.

- Scandal.

S-C-A-N-D-A-L.

"Scandal."

- [Randy] Correct.

- [Jason] Well done.

Bringing Julian Darden from Southampton Middle School forward for their first word.

- Your word is disaster.

- Disaster.

D-I-S-A S-T-E-R.

"Disaster."

- [Randy] Correct.

- [Jason] And now Nicholas Larios from Star of the Sea School steps forward.

- You have a homonym or a word that could be confused with another word.

The word is grout.

It's a noun, and it refers to a mortar fluid thin enough to be poured and used for filling in spaces, as in the joints of masonry or brickwork.

Grout.

- Grout.

G-R-O-U-T.

- [Randy] Correct.

- [Jason] And now Preston Young from John Yeates Middle School makes their way to the mic for their first word.

- You also have a homonym or a word that could be confused with another.

Your word is peat.

It's a noun, and it is a piece of turf cut for use as fuel.

Peat.

- Can you use it in a sentence, please?

- Peat, an important source of fuel, covers about 2% of the total global land area.

- Can you say the word again one more time?

- Peat.

- Peat.

P-E-A-T.

"Peat."

- [Randy] Correct.

- [Jason] Tricky one right there.

Bringing Elisabeth Loveless from Old Donation School to the mic.

- And you also have a homonym or a word that could be confused with another word.

Your word is stance.

It's a noun meaning intellectual or emotional attitude.

General standpoint, stance.

- Could you use it in a sentence, please?

- Margo's stance on homework is that it has to be done, so she might as well do it immediately.

- Stance.

S-T-A-N-C-E.

"Stance."

- Correct.

- Lots of homonyms.

- [Jason] That's also a good use of homework time.

- [Wendy] Yes.

- [Jason] Madeleine Wells making their way for their first word representing Hampton Roads Academy.

- And you also have a homonym or a word that could be confused with another.

The word is pupil.

It's a noun, and it refers to a child or young person in school, or in charge of a tutor or an instructor.

A student, pupil.

- Can you use it in a sentence, please?

- Every year, at least one pupil in Ms.

Simpson's kindergarten class is already a skilled reader.

- Pupil.

P-U-P-I-L.

- [Randy] Correct.

- [Jason] Wonderful.

And now, Mika Hammond from Our Lady of Mount Carmel School.

- [Bobbie] Your word for this round is frontier.

- May you please repeat the word?

- Frontier.

- May I have a definition?

- It's a zone or region that forms the margin of settled or developed territory.

- May you please put it in a sentence?

- Daniel Boone is famous for having explored the American frontier.

- Frontier.

F-R-O-N-T-I-E-R.

- [Randy] Correct.

- [Jason] Well done.

And now Henry Mixer from Cape Henry Collegiate School makes their way to the mic.

- You have a homonym or a word that could be confused with another.

Your word is sterling.

It's an adjective meaning of full value or first quality, conforming to the highest standard, or genuine.

Sterling.

- May I have a definition?

- It means of full value or first quality, conforming to the highest standard, genuine.

- Can you repeat the word?

- [Bobbie] Sterling.

- Sterling.

S-T-E-R-L-I-N-G.

"Sterling."

- Correct.

- [Jason] Indeed.

And now, Canaan Chand from Plaza Middle School, making their way to the mic.

- [Bobbie] Your word is iceberg.

- Iceberg.

I-C-E-B-E-R-G.

"Iceberg."

- Correct.

- Very confident.

- [Jason] Very confident.

Walked right into that one.

Bringing Anthony Ruiz from Atlantic Shores Christian School to the microphone.

- [Bobbie] Your word is likelier.

- Could you give me the definition, please?

- Of such a nature or so circumstanced as to make something more probable.

- Likelier.

L-I-K-E-L-I-E-R.

"Likelier."

- [Randy] Correct.

- [Jason] A smile on his face the whole time.

Bringing James Loveless from Lynnhaven Middle School up to the mic.

- This word has a homonym or could be confused with another word.

The word is graham.

It's an adjective meaning made wholly or largely of whole wheat flour.

- Can you repeat the word, please?

- Graham.

- Can you use it in a sentence, please?

- Regina used graham crackers to make the crust of her famous chocolate pie.

- Graham.

G-R-A-H-N.

"Grahn."

(bell dings) - [Jason] All right.

And now we'll see Jamari Wilkins from Indian River Middle School step forward for their first word.

- Your word has a homonym or could be confused with another word.

The word is kazoo.

It's a noun, meaning a device into which a person sings or hums, and which consists usually of an open-ended tube with a membrane-covered side hole.

Kazoo.

- Can you use it in a sentence, please?

- For the concert's humorous finale, each choir member produced a kazoo and began to hum "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" into it.

- Kazoo.

K-A-Z-O-O.

"Kazoo."

- [Randy] Correct.

- [Jason] My favorite instrument.

Mathias Hernandez now stepping forward from Corporate Landing Middle School.

- [Bobbie] Your word is maximum.

- Maximum.

M-A-X-I-M-U-M.

- Correct.

- Another competent one.

- We're wasting no time.

- Yep.

- [Jason] Now, Sana Al-Dabbagh from Great Neck Middle School steps forward for her first word.

- [Bobbie] Your word is convention.

- Convention.

C-O-N-V-E-N-T-I-O-N.

"Convention."

- [Randy] Correct.

- [Jason] Another correct spelling, bringing Emma Spears from Page Middle School forward for her first word.

- [Bobbie] Your word is attitude.

- Attitude.

A-T-T-I-T-U-D-E.

- Correct.

- Wow, we're ripping through these last words here.

And now bringing Aubree Ellis from Western Branch Middle School forward for her first word.

- Your word is modular.

- Modular.

M-O-D-U-L-A-R.

"Modular."

- [Randy] Great.

- [Jason] Fantastic.

And now Grace Turner from Stonebridge School will have her chance at her first word.

- [Bobbie] Your word is platinum.

- Can I please have the definition?

- Of, relating to, or made of a very heavy, precious metallic element that is typically grayish white, is noncorroding, expands only slightly when heated, and fuses with difficulty.

It's used chiefly in the form of alloys in special chemical ware and apparatus, in electrical and electronic devices, as a catalyst, in dental alloys, and in jewelry.

Platinum.

- Are there any alternate pronunciations?

- Just that one.

- Okay.

- Platinum.

P-L-A-T I-N-U-M.

"Platinum."

- Correct.

- [Jason] Nice work.

And now, of our last three spellers, first would be Nora Logioco from Summit Christian School.

- [Bobbie] Your word is salivate.

- Is there any other pronunciation?

- Just that one.

- What's the definition?

- To produce in the mouth an excessive flow of a secretion that serves to lubricate ingested food.

- Can you say the word again?

- Salivate.

- S... Salivate.

S-A-L-A-V-A-T-E.

"Salavate."

(bell dings) - [Jason] All right.

And now Charlotte Muntz from Portsmouth Catholic Regional School steps forward for her first word.

- [Bobbie] Your word is pitiful.

- Pitiful.

May I have the definition?

- Deserving or giving rise to compassion, existing or exciting or being such as to excite compassion.

- Pitiful.

P-I-T I-F-U-L.

"Pitiful."

- That's correct.

- [Jason] Nice work.

And our final speller for this round, Matthew Sun from Smithfield Middle School.

- [Bobbie] Your word for this round is solidity.

- Can you repeat the word?

- Solidity.

- Solidity.

S-O-L-I-D-I-T-Y.

- [Randy] Correct.

- All right, an exciting first round, lots of focus, lots of homonyms, and lots of excitement to come at this TowneBank Spelling Bee.

We'll be right back in just a minute.

- [Announcer 1] The award-winning "Curate" is back.

- [Announcer 2] With more arts and culture.

(rousing upbeat music) (person laughs) (lively piano music) - Welcome back to the TowneBank Spelling Bee, and I am joined now by Anne Connor, the President of Public Finance and Community Investment at TowneBank.

Anne, thank you so much for joining us here for just a moment.

- Oh, I am delighted to be here.

- Well, Anne, I know this is TowneBank's second year sponsoring the bee.

Tell us a little bit about what engaged you guys to wanna be involved in the bee.

- Well, I have been involved with WHRO for many, many years.

And as they were seeking a sponsor for the spelling bee, I approached our founding chairman, Bob Aston, and asked if he would, in fact, sponsor what we now know as the TowneBank Spelling Bee.

And of course, Bob has committed his life to youth achievement.

In sports and academics, he is all about seeing young people shine.

And so, once given the opportunity to sponsor the TowneBank Spelling Bee, I think he was incredibly supportive and said, "Absolutely.

We are going to do that," to ensure continuity of the spelling bee and to give these kids an opportunity to shine.

- Well, it's exceptional that he's done that.

And what a fun time we've had these past two years.

- We have.

- Now, Anne, I understand that you yourself are a former speller.

- I am a speller, Jason.

(Jason laughs) And in fact, we have someone here today from York Intermediate School.

When I was there, it was... No, excuse me.

When I was there, it was York Intermediate School, just seventh and eighth grade.

Now it's York Middle School, sixth, seventh, and eighth grade.

And I won my school's competition, and I went on to what was then Peninsula Regional Spelling Bee.

And I came in second place.

And so, while disappointing, I can remember the word.

Many, many decades later, I remember the word that I misspelled.

And I like to think that the young woman who beat me was really a prodigy.

She was brilliant.

She was spelling when she was, I don't know, a year or two old.

And so that's the only reason that I lost.

- I'm sure.

- I'm not bitter.

- No, I mean, there's no reason to be.

And I hope that you find many opportunities to use that word throughout the day.

(both laughing) Anne, thank you so much for joining us today here in the midst of all the excitement down on the studio floor.

And we'll be right back with the TowneBank Spelling Bee in just a moment.

(bright thoughtful music) - The relationship between African Americans and Jews in the United States, it's not a simple story.

- It's got a really long history.

- The Black and Jewish communities found themselves swimming against parallel currents.

- [Speaker] Blacks and Jews come together and create enormous change.

- It wasn't a perfect partnership, but stood as proof that people could bridge deep divides.

- [Announcer] Stream now with WHRO+.

- And welcome back to the TowneBank Spelling Bee.

We are here in the teleconference center, and we're about to start round two.

There are 41 spellers remaining.

Wendy, do you think after the first round, our spellers might be a little less nervous, more nervous?

What do you think?

- I hope that they're less nervous.

I think they've been through it once and, you know, they're just relying on their spelling skills now 'cause they're used to going up to the mic.

So I'm hoping they're much more comfortable.

Yeah.

- I agree.

I feel like it's a lot going in there the first round and hearing the bell ring and all that sort of thing.

- Oh, yeah.

- But now you're through it, and you know what's coming.

- [Wendy] Not so new anymore.

- That's right.

- Yeah.

- Well, as we've just indicated, spelling is tough enough, but having lights and cameras on them must really make it more challenging.

And before we send it down to Bobbie on our spelling bee floor, let's go ahead and introduce our judges who, along with our bee keepers, have the difficult job of navigating through all of these words.

We have Leslie Jean Thornton.

Leslie Jean is an associate professor at the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication at Arizona State University.

This is her fourth year of judging spelling bees in Hampton Roads and Richmond.

And of course, Randy Jesse is a journalist and editorial systems administrator for Lee Enterprises.

He's worked with spelling bees in the Richmond area for more than 10 years.

This is his fourth year of judging this regional spelling bee.

And last but not least, Bethany Mayo.

Bethany is a theater artist and teacher from Des Moines, Iowa.

She works at the Governor's School for the Arts in Theater and Film Department and as an adjunct professor of theater at Old Dominion University.

Those are our judges, and now let's send it back to Bobbie, who has Josiah Thompson from Princess Anne Middle School at the mic for his second word.

- Your word has a homonym or could be confused with another word.

The word is intertidal.

It's an adjective meaning of, relating to, or being the part of the shore zone that's above the lowest mark of the usually twice-daily falling of the surface of the ocean.

Intertidal.

- Intertidal.

I-N-T-E-R T-I-D-A-L.

"Intertidal."

- [Randy] Correct.

- [Jason] All right.

And now Hiya Singh will make her way for her second word.

She loves science and engineering.

- And you also have a homonym or a word that could be confused with another.

The word for you is Scrooge.

It's a noun, and it means a miserly person.

Scrooge.

- Scrooge.

Am I saying this right?

- Scrooge.

- Scrooge.

- Are there any alternate pronunciations?

- [Bobbie] No, just the one.

- May I please have a definition one more time?

- A miserly person.

- Could you please use this in a sentence?

- Devon was a Scrooge who would rather be cold in the winter than pay to turn on the heat.

- Scrooge.

S-C-R-O-O-G-E.

"Scrooge."

- That's correct.

- [Jason] Lots of chuckles from that word right here.

And we'll have Kieran White back to the mic.

Kieran's winning word to get here was paranephric.

- [Bobbie] Your word is procedure.

- Procedure.

P-R-O-C-E-D-U-R-E.

"Procedure."

- Correct.

- Well done.

- [Jason] Wasting no time with that one.

And now Levi Thompson steps forward for their second word.

- This word has a homonym or could be confused with another word.

The word is exercise.

It's a verb, and it means to exert the body for the sake of developing and maintaining physical fitness.

Exercise.

- Exercise.

E-X-E-R-C-I-Z-E.

(bell dings) - [Jason] All right.

And Nathan Petzar steps forward.

His winning word to get here was diphtheria.

- Your word has a homonym or could be confused with another word.

The word is urgency.

It's a noun, and it means the quality or state of needing immediate attention, insistence, pressure.

Urgency.

- Urgency.

U-R-G-E-N-C-Y.

"Urgency."

- [Randy] Correct.

- [Jason] Nice work.

And now Taddy Evasco steps forward.

Taddy likes playing racing games, and he also plays the piano.

- [Wendy] Wow.

- And there's another homonym, or one that could be confused with another word.

The word for you is eruption.

It's a noun, and it means an act, process, or instance of forcing out or releasing suddenly and often violently something pent up, such as lava or steam.

Eruption.

- Eruption.

E-R-U-P-T-I-O-N.

"Eruption."

- [Randy] Correct.

- [Jason] And now Guage Morgan steps forward for their second word.

- [Bobbie] Your word is substance.

- May I please get the definition?

- It's a fundamental part, quality, or aspect.

Essential quality or import.

The characteristic and essential part.

- Substance.

S-U-B-S-T-A-N-C-E.

"Substance."

- [Randy] Correct.

- [Jason] And Guage moving on to round three, bringing Suhani Joshi up.

Suhani was the regional champion last year in 2025.

- [Bobbie] Your word is magician.

- Magician.

Can you repeat the word, please?

- Magician.

- Magician.

Can I have all the information, please?

- This word is from an originally Greek word that passed into Latin and then French before becoming English.

It's a noun, and it means one who entertains an audience by tricks of illusion and sleight of hand.

The magician specialized in card tricks.

- Magician.

Can you repeat the word one more time, please?

- Magician.

- Magician.

Magician.

M-A-G-I-C-I-A-N.

"Magician."

- Correct.

- [Jason] And this will bring Hazel Fowler back to the mic for her second word.

- And you have a homonym or a word that could be confused with another.

The word is eerily.

It's an adverb that means mysteriously or weirdly.

Eerily.

- Could I have it in a sentence, please?

- Main Street was eerily quiet for hours after the big thunderstorm.

- Eerily.

E-E R-I-L-Y.

"Eerily."

- Correct.

- Well done.

- [Jason] Tricky word right there.

Mason Young now stepping forward for his second word.

He's a big fan of the Pittsburgh Steelers.

- Your word has a homonym or one that could be confused with another.

The word is ozone.

It's a noun, and it means pure and refreshing air.

Ozone.

- Ozone.

O-Z-O-N-E.

"Ozone."

- [Randy] Correct.

- [Jason] And now Chudi Zhou steps forward.

Her winning word was illustration.

That's what got her here.

- [Bobbie] Your word is contraction.

- Could I please have a definition?

- It's the shortening of a word, syllable, or word group by omission.

- Could I have you use it in a sentence, please?

- "Can't" is the colloquial contraction for "cannot."

- Contraction.

C-O-N-T-R A-C-T-I-O-N.

"Contraction."

- [Randy] Correct.

- [Jason] Chudi, moving on to round three.

Bringing Lillian Boafo up for her second word.

- [Bobbie] Your word is teenagers.

- Teenagers.

Can I have the definition, please?

- I'm very tempted to say, "All of them," but I won't.

(audience laughing) It is persons who are from 13 to 19 years old.

Teenagers.

- Teenagers.

T-E-E-N-A-G-E-R-S.

"Teenagers."

- [Randy] Correct.

- [Jason] Continuing on, we have Sahil Kothari from Norfolk Academy.

- And you have another word that is a homonym, or has a homonym, or could be confused with another word.

The word is memes.

It's a plural noun, and it means amusing or interesting items such as captioned pictures or videos, or genres of items that are spread widely online, especially through social media.

Memes.

- Memes.

M-E-M-E-S.

"Memes."

- That's correct.

- [Jason] Moving on to round three with that spelling.

And now, Rhowan Sigler steps forward for her word in round two.

- [Bobbie] Your word is varsity.

- May I have the definition, please?

- It's a first team or group of players capable of playing on the first team representing a university, college, school, or club in a sport or other form of competition.

- Varsity.

V-A-R-S-I-T-Y.

"Varsity."

- [Randy] Correct.

- [Randy] That's how you do it.

And now Stevie Mutrie steps forward for his round two word.

- You have a homonym or a word that could be confused with another.

The word is yore.

It's a noun, and it means time past and especially long since passed.

Yore.

- Yore.

Yore.

Y-O-R-E.

"Yore."

- Correct.

- Thank you.

- [Jason] A polite young man right there, bringing Henry Weeks to the mic for his round two word.

- [Bobbie] Your word is avatar.

- Can I get a definition, please?

- [Bobbie] It's an electronic image that represents and is manipulated by a computer user in a virtual space, as in a computer game or an online shopping site, that interacts with other objects in the space.

- Avatar.

A-V-A-T-A-R.

"Avatar."

- [Randy] Correct.

- [Jason] And now Brooklyn Ellison steps forward.

Brooklyn likes to play soccer, and here's her round two word.

- [Bobbie] Your word is partridge.

- Can you use it in a sentence, please?

- A partridge fluttered out of the tall grass and startled Charity.

- Can I have the definition, please?

- It means any of various typically medium-sized stout game birds that have variegated but not flashy plumage.

They have short wings and tail and rather short legs and neck.

- Partridge.

P-A-R-T-R-I-D-G-E.

- Correct.

- Well done.

- Well done.

Well done, indeed.

And now, Elise Olimpo steps forward for her round two word.

- Your word has a homonym or could be confused with another word.

The word is folate.

It's a noun meaning a yellow or yellowish-orange crystalline vitamin of the vitamin B complex that's required for normal production of red blood cells and occurs chiefly in green leafy vegetables.

Folate.

- Can you repeat the word, please?

- Folate.

- Are there any alternate pronunciations?

- Just that one.

- Can you use it in a sentence, please?

- Folate is crucial during early pregnancy and is an essential component of prenatal vitamins.

- Folate.

Am I saying this correctly?

- Say it again.

- [Elise] Folate.

- Folate.

- Folate.

F-O-L-L-A-T-E.

"Follate."

(bell dings) - [Jason] All right.

And now Denzel Johnson makes his way forward.

Denzel loves playing basketball, and he's about to get his second round word.

- [Bobbie] Your word is nominee.

- Can you say it in a sentence?

- John C. Fremont was the first nominee of the Republican Party for the office of President of the United States.

- Nominee.

N-O-M I-N-Y.

"Nominy."

(bell dings) - [Jason] And now Yarnell Deh will step forward for his round two word.

- [Bobbie] Your word is anime.

- Anime.

Can I have the definition, please?

- It's a style of motion picture made from a series of drawings or computer graphics originating in Japan.

It's characterized by stark, colorful graphics depicting vibrant characters usually drawn with large eyes in action-filled plots, often with fantastic or futuristic themes.

- Anime.

A-N-I-M-E.

"Anime."

- [Randy] Correct.

- [Jason] Yarnell moving on to round three.

And now, Jisca Riel steps forward.

- Your word has a homonym or could be confused with another word.

The word is birdie.

It's a noun, and it means a golf score of one stroke less than par on a hole.

- Can you use it in a sentence, please?

- Oh, sure.

Eleanor putted well on the 18th hole and got a birdie.

Birdie.

- Birdie.

B-I-R-D-I-E.

"Birdie."

- [Randy] Correct.

- [Jason] Good job.

And now Devendra Gopaul steps forward for his round two word.

- [Bobbie] Your word is weaponry.

- Can I have the definition, please?

- It's aggregate of instruments of offensive or defensive combat.

- Can you use it in a sentence, please?

- At the socially distanced birthday party, Harry and Varsha sat 10 feet apart and discussed the virtual weaponry of their favorite video games.

- Weaponry.

W-E-A-P O-N-R-Y.

"Weaponry."

- Correct.

- [Wendy] Well done.

Very deliberate.

- [Jason] Very deliberate indeed.

And now Sawyer Eversole will step forward for his round two word.

- Your word has a homonym or could be confused with another word.

The word is collision.

It's a noun referring to the action or an instance of violent encounter or forceful striking together, typically by accident, and so as to harm or impede.

Collision.

- Collision.

C-O-L-L-I S-I-O-N.

"Collision."

- [Randy] Correct.

- [Jason] And now Elliot Morrison will step forward for their round two word.

- You also have a word that's a homonym or could be confused with another word.

The word is dramatization.

It's a noun, meaning an act, process, or product of rewriting or adapting a story or incident for theatrical presentation.

Dramatization.

- Dramatization.

D-R-A-M-A T-I Z-A-T-I-O-N.

"Dramatization."

- [Randy] Correct.

- Nice work.

- Yeah.

- [Jason] Way to hold on there.

All right, and now Julian Darden stepping forward for their round two word.

- [Bobbie] Your word is squelch.

- Squelch.

Are there any alternate pronunciations?

- Just that one.

- Can I get the definition?

- It means to completely suppress or to quell.

- Squelch.

S-C-W-H E-L-C-H "Scwhelch."

(bell dings) - [Jason] Okay.

Now, Nicholas Larios, stepping forward.

Nicholas likes to play a lot of basketball, and he's about to get his round two word.

- And you have a word that has a homonym or could be confused with another word.

Your word is ramen.

It's a noun referring to quick-cooking egg noodles usually served in a broth with bits of meat and vegetables.

Ramen.

- Ramen.

R-A-M-E-N.

"Ramen."

- [Randy] Correct.

- [Jason] Nice work.

And now Preston Young comes forward for his round two word.

- Your word is sympathy.

- Can you say the definition, please?

- Definition is the character or fact of being sensitive to or affected by another's emotions, experiences, or especially sorrows.

- Sympathy.

S-Y-M P-A-T-H-Y.

"Sympathy."

- [Randy] Correct.

- [Jason] And now Elisabeth Loveless steps back up to the mic for her round two word.

- [Bobbie] Your word is heavenly.

- Can you please use it in a sentence?

- Georgia couldn't stand to be stuck inside at work on such a heavenly day.

- Heavenly.

H-E-A-V-E-N-L-Y.

"Heavenly."

- Correct.

- [Jason] Nice work, Elisabeth.

And now, Madeleine Wells comes forward for her round two word.

- [Bobbie] Your word for this round is righteous.

- Can you repeat the word, please?

- Righteous.

- Can I have the definition, please?

- It means characterized by uprightness or justice.

- Can you use it in a sentence, please?

- [Bobbie] The civil rights protesters were fearless in their righteous cause.

- Righteous.

R-I-G-H-T I-O-U-S.

(bell dings) - [Jason] All right.

And now, Mika Hammond stepping forward for her round two word.

- [Bobbie] Your word is serenade.

- May you repeat the word?

- [Bobbie] Serenade.

- May you say the definition?

- It's to entertain with or perform music in honor of.

- May you say it in a sentence?

- The football team will serenade its coach during the pep rally.

- Serenade.

S-E-R-A N-A-D-E.

(bell dings) - [Jason] And now stepping forward for his round two word, number 38, Henry Mixer.

- [Bobbie] Your word is Cinderella.

- Cinderella.

Can I get the definition?

- It's one suddenly lifted, often fortuitously, from obscurity and neglect to honor and significance.

- Cinderella.

C-I-N-D-E-R E-L-L-A.

- [Randy] Correct.

- [Jason] All right.

And now, Canaan Chand steps forward for her round two word.

- You have a homonym or a word that could be confused with another word.

The word is ante.

It's a noun, and it means a poker stake, usually arbitrarily fixed and usually put up before the deal to build the pot.

Ante.

- Can you repeat the word, please?

- Ante.

- Can you use it in a sentence?

- Each player in the poker game put a nickel on the table as an ante.

- Ante.

A-N-T-Y.

"Anty."

(bell dings) - [Jason] And now coming to the mic for their round two word, Anthony Ruiz.

- Your word has a homonym or could be confused with another word.

The word for you is restive.

It's an adjective meaning marked by uneasiness and a lack of quietness or attentive interest.

Fidgety.

- Could you repeat the word again?

- Restive.

- Restive.

R-E-S-T-I-V-E.

"Restive."

- [Randy] Correct.

- [Jason] Wonderful.

And now Jamari Wilkins will step forward for his round two word.

- [Bobbie] Your word is vlogging.

- Can you say it in a sentence, please?

- Robin spent her time after school vlogging about her family and her two cuddly kittens.

- Vlogging.

V-L-O-G-G-I-N-G.

"Vlogging."

- [Randy] Correct.

- [Jason] Jamari moving on to round three, bringing Mathias Hernandez forward for his round two word.

- This word has a homonym, could be confused with another word.

The word is molasses.

It's a noun referring to the thick, dark, light-brown syrup that is separated from raw sugar in sugar manufacture.

Molasses.

- Molasses.

M-O-L-L-A-S-E-S.

"Mollases."

(bell dings) - [Jason] And now, Sana Al-Dabbagh coming forward for her round two word.

- [Bobbie] Your word is shrapnel.

- Shrapnel.

Are there any alternate pronunciations?

- [Bobbie] No.

- Could I have the definition, please?

- It means bomb, mine, or shell fragments.

- Shrapnel.

S-H-R-A-P-N-E-L.

"Shrapnel."

- [Randy] That's correct.

- [Jason] Nice work.

And now Emma Spears, number 45, stepping forward to the mic.

- And you also have a homonym or a word that could be confused with another word.

Your word is registrar.

It's a noun, and it refers to the officer of an educational institution charged with registering students, keeping academic records, issuing official information, corresponding with candidates for admission, and evaluating their credentials.

Registrar.

- Can you repeat the word?

- Registrar.

- R-E-G-I S-T-R A W.

(bell dings) - [Jason] Okay.

And now Aubree Ellis, stepping forward for that round two word.

- [Bobbie] Your word is editorial.

- Can you use that in a sentence?

- The editorial staff at the publishing house was delighted with the manuscript.

- Editorial.

E-D-I-T O-R-I-A-L.

- [Randy] Correct.

- [Jason] All right.

And now Grace Turner stepping up for her round two word.

- You have a homonym, a word that could be confused with another word.

Your word is radius.

It's a noun, meaning a line segment extending from the center of a circle or sphere to the curve or surface.

Radius.

- Are there any alternate pronunciations?

- Just the one.

- Could you please use it in a sentence?

- Mario adjusted his protractor to draw a circle with a radius of two inches.

- Radius.

R-A-D I-U-S.

"Radius."

- [Randy] Correct.

- [Jason] And now our penultimate speller for this round, Charlotte Muntz.

- [Bobbie] Your word is extinct.

- Extinct.

May I have the definition?

- [Bobbie] It means that has died out altogether.

- Extinct.

E-X-T I-N C-T.

"Extinct."

- [Randy] Correct.

- [Jason] Way to hold in there.

All right, and our last speller for this round two, Matthew Sun, steps up to the mic.

- [Bobbie] Your word is flexitarian.

- Could you give me the definition?

- It means one whose normally meatless diet occasionally includes meat or fish.

- Could I have a sentence?

- Having reduced her meat intake to once or twice a week, Isabelle now considers herself a flexitarian.

- Is there any alternate pronunciations?

- [Bobbie] Just that one.

- What is the origin?

- The first part of the word is from an originally Latin word that passed through French before becoming English.

The second part is from a word that consists of a part that went from Latin to English and an English element.

- Flexitarian.

Am I saying this correctly?

Flexitarian.

- [Bobbie] Flexitarian.

- F-L-E-X-I-T A-R-I-A-N.

- [Randy] That's correct.

- All right, great spelling so far from all of these students.

We'll be right back with the TowneBank Spelling Bee in just a moment.

Stick around, more action coming up.

- [Announcer] Join WHRO for "The Story Exchange."

These Moth-style live storytelling evenings celebrate the many ways we love.

Whether it's romantic, familial, or about friendships, we want to hear your story.

Come share your experience on stage or join us in the audience as these powerful, personal moments come to life in venues across our region.

"The Story Exchange" is an initiative of the WHRO Next Gen Collective Board.

To submit your story or find an event near you, visit whro.org/events.

- And welcome back to the TowneBank Spelling Bee.

I am joined here with president and CEO of WHRO, Bert Schmidt.

Bert, how are you today?

- It's great to be here.

19 years we've been doing this.

- 19 years?

- Yeah.

Yeah.

I remember the first year, way back in the day.

- All right, well, from your perspective, what has changed since the first bee to the one we're doing right here today?

- Well, lots, in the production perspective.

I mean, just what we're doing here today with this setup is new.

But the most important thing that's changed is the kids have gotten better at spelling.

I mean, the whole reason we do this is to celebrate smart kids.

And the kids have just, over the years, gotten better and better at spelling, not just here, but at their local bees.

So if we can elevate, you know, the smart kids around the region, we're doing our job.

- Absolutely.

Talk about smart kids.

I mean, I'm getting some words up there.

And they're so tricky, too, the words.

The ones I feel like the easy ones are the hardest ones.

- There are some really tricky words, and I don't even pretend.

We all have our words.

In my fifth-grade spelling bee, I remember my word to this day, and yeah.

(laughs) It was not pretty.

- I wasn't the best speller myself either.

- No.

- I had to write them out.

That was my trick.

- I am very happy for technology to help me today.

- No doubt.

Spell check, here we go, right?

- Right.

- Well, not for these champions that are in this room.

- Well, Bert, thank you so much for taking the time to speak with us.

- Well, thank you.

- Yeah, absolutely.

And we'll be right back to the TowneBank Spelling Bee in just a moment.

- I call this the Phoebe Shuffle.

Check it out.

(groovy upbeat music) - Baby, I love the Phoebe Shuffle.

- "Phoebe and Jay's" about six-year-old twins.

They just moved into the Topsy Towers, where their dad is the new building manager, and their grandma is the self-appointed security guard.

- I'm Phoebe, and this is Jay, and this is my daddy and grandma.

- Phoebe is a little spark plug.

She is very sassy.

She loves to sing.

She loves to dance.

♪ La ♪ - [Thy] And Jay loves to draw, and he's very sweet.

- We know everything about each other, 'cause we're always together.

- They think differently; they complement each other.

Phoebe and Jay, PB&J, peanut butter, and jelly.

- Let's get snackalackin.

(munching) (upbeat dance music) - In "Phoebe and Jay," we wanted to show a different family dynamic with Pete being a single dad.

- Sometimes you gotta wait for something great.

- And Grandma Annie takes care of them and adds a little sass to their day.

- Aha!

Still got it!

- Phoebe and Jay live in Topsy Towers.

The building's a little worn out, but it's still useful.

One of our themes is it doesn't have to be the best to make the best of things.

- Look at this cool old drum.

(light upbeat music) In every episode, everyday text pops up in their lives, and they engage with that text to achieve some goal or have fun.

- How do we know how to look for the door with a G?

- So, looking at things like instructions or menus, or wayfinding signs.

- These signs are all over.

Maybe you can use them to figure out where Phoebe might have gone.

- We're modeling strategies and thinking tools that you can employ to become a better reader and move through your world.

- [Both] We did it!

(hands clapping) (playful upbeat music) - It's really fun to watch something that starts as this idea that grows into something amazing.

♪ Welcome to ♪ - We are beyond fortunate to have such a talented and committed team of people.

- The team is just full of amazing artists and animators, and the actors are so great.

- Dad, is your head still this big?

- (laughs) Yep.

- Hey now, big head means big ideas.

- At our heart, we are PBS Kids, and so we really connect on creating material that's educational and empowering and just fun to watch with your family.

- The passion behind this show I've never experienced before, and I can't wait for the world to see it.

- This was so fun!

- Yeah.

(hands clapping) (both chuckling) ♪ Hey, hey ♪ ♪ Phoebe and Jay ♪ (audience cheering) (audience applauding) - All right.

Welcome back to the TowneBank Spelling Bee, and this excitement can only mean one thing: that we're about to enter into round three of the spelling bee.

We have 32 spellers left, and it's time to introduce our second pronouncer for the evening.

Our second pronouncer is joining us for her first time, and it's Wayla Chambo.

She's the program director for WHRO's classical radio station.

She's a professional flutist and a lifelong lover of words.

Wayla, we'll welcome to the mic for round three, Josiah Thompson, once again, from Princess Anne Middle School.

- Your word is a homonym or could be confused with another word.

The word is trustee.

It's a noun.

It means a member of a board entrusted with administering the funds and directing the policy of an institution or organization.

Trustee.

- Trustee.

R... Wait.

Oh, shoot.

I'm out.

T-R-U-S-T-E-E.

(bell dings) - I'm sorry.

- Oh, that's tough for Josiah.

- [Wayla] It's a tough one.

- [Jason] And now Hiya Singh steps up to the mic.

- [Wayla] Your word is solicit.

- Solicit.

May I please have all the information, please?

- [Wayla] This word is from Latin.

It's a verb, meaning to make petition to, to entreat, to importune.

Diane will solicit the zoning board for a hearing about the new park.

- Solicit.

Am I saying this right?

Solicit.

- [Wayla] Solicit.

- Solicit.

- Are there any alternate pronunciations?

- [Wayla] No.

- Solicit.

Could you please repeat the word?

- Solicit.

- Solicit.

S-O-L-I-C-I-T.

"Solicit."

- [Randy] Correct.

- [Jason] And Hiya moves on to round four, bringing Kieran White back up to the mic.

- [Wayla] Your word is principality.

- Principality.

P-R-I-N-C-I-P A-L-I-T-Y.

"Principality."

- Correct.

- Well done.

- [Jason] Well done.

And now, Nathan Petzar stepping forward.

He was a returning school champion back again this year.

- [Wayla] Your word is extinguish.

- May I have the definition?

- To cause as a fire or light to cease burning.

- Extinguish.

E-X-T-I-N-G-U-I-S-H.

"Extinguish."

- [Randy] Correct.

- [Jason] Wonderful.

And now, Taddy Evasco stepping forward.

Taddy's left-handed.

He's getting his third-round word.

- [Wayla] Your word is legitimately.

- Legitimately.

L-E-G-I-T.

What is the language of origin?

- The word is from a Latin-derived English word plus an English element.

- Legitimately.

L-E-G-I-T I-M-A-T-E-L-Y.

- [Randy] That's correct.

- [Wayla] Using the language of origin to help out.

- Absolutely.

He got there.

That's all that matters.

And now Gauge Morgan will step forward for his round three word.

- [Wayla] Your word is emancipatory.

- Could you please use that in a sentence?

- In 1865, Congress ratified the Emancipatory Amendment, abolishing slavery in the United States.

- Can you give me the origin of the word, please?

- Yes.

This word is from an originally Latin word and an English part.

- Can I get the definition, please?

- Designed or tending to free from restraint, control, or the power of another.

- Could I get the part of speech, please?

- It's an adjective.

- Can you repeat the word?

- Emancipatory.

- Emancipatory.

E-M-M A-N-C-I-P A-T-O-R-Y.

"Emmancipatory."

(bell dings) - [Jason] That's a tough one.

But now, Suhani Joshi steps back up to the mic for her round three word.

- [Wayla] Your word is unbeknownst.

- Unbeknownst.

Can you repeat the word, please?

- Unbeknownst.

- Unbeknownst.

Can I have all the information, please?

- This word is originally English.

It's an adjective, meaning happening without one's being cognizant, conscious, or aware.

Unbeknownst to Olessa, her friends were planning a surprise party for her at the ranch.

There is one alternate pronunciation, unbeknownst.

- Can you repeat both pronunciations one more time, please?

- Unbeknownst, unbeknownst.

- Unbeknownst.

U-N-B-E-K N-O-W-N-S-T.

"Unbeknownst."

- Well done.

- Correct.

- [Jason] Mm, showing off her stuff once again.

And now Hazel Fowler steps forward.

Hazel enjoys acting, and this is her round three word.

- Your word is hijab.

- May I have the definition?

- The traditional covering for the hair and neck that is worn by Muslim women.

- Hijab.

H-I-J-A-B.

"Hijab."

- [Randy] Correct.

- [Jason] Right into that one.

Good job.

And now Mason Young coming up to the mic for his round three word.

- [Wayla] Your word is cortex.

- Can I get all the information, please?

- This word is from Latin.

It's a noun.

It means the outer layer of gray matter of the cerebrum and cerebellum that contains most of the higher nervous centers, as those concerned with the interpretation and correlation of sensory impressions.

The chief function of the cerebral cortex is to regulate higher nervous functions, such as the collection and interpretation of data relating to the senses.

- Cortex.

Q-U-A-R-T-E-X.

(bell dings) - [Wendy] Tough one.

- [Jason] That was a tough one indeed, but now, Chudi Zhou steps forward for her round three word.

- This word has a homonym or could be confused with another word.

The word is vanguard.

It's a noun.

It means the forefront of thought, taste, or opinion in a field, school, or movement.

Vanguard.

- May I please have the definition... Oh, excuse me.

May I please have it used in a sentence?

- Miguel claimed he was in the vanguard of a new impressionist movement, but Dora just thought his art looked messy.

- Vanguard.

V-A-N G-U-A-R-D.

"Vanguard."

- [Randy] Correct.

- [Jason] What does Dora know anyway, huh?

And now, Lillian Boafo, stepping up for her round three word.

- [Wayla] Your word is consecutive.

- May I have all the information for this word, please?

- This word was formed in French from an originally Latin word plus a French element.

It's an adjective, meaning one right after the other, often with small intervening intervals.

The sentence is, "Michael Jordan won three consecutive NBA championships twice in his career, cementing his legacy as perhaps the greatest basketball player of all time."

There is an alternate pronunciation of consecutive.

- Consecutive.

C-O-N-S-E-Q U-I-T-I-V-E.

"Consequitive."

(bell dings) - [Jason] That's a tough one.

And now, Sahil Kothari stepping forward.

Sahil loves woodworking.

And here's his round three word.

- [Wayla] Your word is armaments.

- Armaments.

A-R-M-A-M-E-N-T-S.

"Armaments."

- [Wendy] Right in there.

- We'll need to review that one.

- But, you know, they hear different things in the studio than what we hear out here, so.

- That's fair.

So this is their opportunity now to hear the playback, and then based on what they hear, they'll confer and either pass them forward or... We'll check on this review, and we'll be right back to the TowneBank Spelling Bee.

(lively orchestral music) (bright piano music) - I want to give you the best life I can.

(car engine whirring) - I've got the best life.

(James laughing) - Brush her down, Jimmy.

- Like this?

- [James] That's it.

- I never grow tired of seeing it - [Grace] Animals all want the same thing.

A home and love.

- [Siegfried] Absolutely glorious.

(birds chirping) - And we're back to the TowneBank Spelling Bee, and after that review, it has been decided that the word was misspelled, so we'll be moving on to the next speller.

That is Rhowan Sigler stepping up to the mic for her round three word.

- This word has a homonym or could be confused with another word.

Your word is hearse.

It's a noun, meaning a vehicle for conveying the dead as to the grave.

Hearse.

- Hearse.

H-E-A-R-S-E.

"Hearse."

- Correct.

- [Jason] Tricky double vowels.

And now Stevie Mutrie stepping up to the mic.

- This word also has a homonym or could be confused with another word.

Your word is jackal.

It's a noun, meaning any of several small, wild dogs of the Old World, sometimes hunting in packs, but more usually singly or in pairs and feeding on carrion and small animals.

Jackal.

- Jackal.

Jackal.

Can I get the language of origin?

- This word is from a Sanskrit word that went to Persian and then Turkish.

- Jackal.

J-A-C-K-A-L.

"Jackal."

- Correct.

- Thank you.

- And Stevie moving on to round four.

Which brings Henry Weeks up to the mic for his round three word.

- [Wayla] Your word is causal.

- Can I get a definition, please?

- Expressing or indicating a reason or motive for an action or condition.

- [Henry] Is there any alternate pronunciations?

- No.

- Okay.

Can you repeat the word, please?

- Causal.

- Causal.

C-O-Z-Z-L-E.

"Cozzle."

(bell dings) - [Jason] And now Brooklyn Ellison will make her way to the mic.

Brooklyn enjoys singing and reading, and this will be her next word.

- Your word is pedantry.

- Can you use it in a sentence, please?

- Tallulah sometimes worries that her constant, painstaking efforts to help other people improve their grammar might be seen as pedantry.

- Can I have the definition, please?

- An ostentatious, narrowly academic, or unimaginative presentation or application of knowledge or learning, especially by a teacher or scholar.

- Pedantry.

P-E-D-D E-N-T-R-Y.

(bell dings) - [Jason] Some tricky words here in round three.

- [Wendy] Sure are.

- [Jason] And now Yarnell Deh will step up to the mic for his round three word.

- [Wayla] Your word is renegotiate.

- Can you repeat the word, please?

- Renegotiate.

- Can I have the definition?

- [Wayla] To again, communicate or confer with another so as to arrive at the settlement of some matter.

- And can you repeat the word one more time?

- Renegotiate.

- Renegotiate.

R-E-N-E G-O-T-I-A-T-E.

"Renegotiate."

- Correct.

- Way to go, Yarnell.

All right, and now Jisca Riel stepping up for her word this round.

- Your word is denominator.

- May I please have the definition?

- The part of a fraction that is below the horizontal or slanting line signifying division, and that in fractions with numerator one indicates into how many parts the unit is supposed to be divided.

- Denominator.

D-E-N-O-M E-N-A-T-O-R.

"Denomenator."

(bell dings) - And now Devendra Gopaul will step forward for his word this round.

- Your word for this round is incompetent.

- Can I have the definition, please?

- Lacking the qualities such as maturity, capacity, initiative, intelligence, necessary for effective independent action.

- Can I have it used in a sentence, please?

- When the new roof collapsed, the investigators blamed an incompetent contractor.

- Incompetent.

I-N-C-O M-P- - [Wayla] He's thinking tough there.

- E.

- [Jason] He's hanging in there.

- T-E-N-T.

"Incompetent."

- [Jason] Nice.

- [Randy] Correct.

- [Wendy] Well done.

Well done.

- [Jason] Well done.

And now Sawyer Eversole steps forward for his word of this round.

- This word has a homonym or could be confused with another word.

The word is ascetic.

It's an adjective.

It means refraining from self-indulgence, self-denying, austere.

Ascetic.

- Can you use it in a sentence?

- Ricky's lavish lifestyle contrasts sharply with his brother's more ascetic existence.

- Ascetic.

A-S-S-E-T-I-C.

"Assetic."

(bell dings) - [Wendy] Another tough one.

- [Jason] Tough words here in round three.

Elliot Morrison now will step forward for their round three word.

- [Wayla] Your word for this round is preposterous.

- Preposterous.

P-R E-P O-S-T E-R-O-U-S.

"Preposterous."

- [Randy] Correct.

- [Jason] Elliot Morrison, moving on to round four, bringing Nicholas Larios up to the mic.

- [Wayla] Your word is scumble.

- Can I have a definition for it, please?

- To soften the lines or colors of something like a drawing by rubbing lightly, as with a finger.

- Can you please use it in a sentence?

- The art teacher showed the class how to scumble an area of canvas to achieve a softer effect.

- Scumble.

S-C-U-M-B-E-L.

"Scumbel."

(bell dings) - [Jason] Now Preston Young, making his way to the mic for his round three word.

- [Wayla] Your word is corm.

- Can I have all the information, please?

- This word is from Greek-derived Latin.

It's a noun.

It means a rounded, thick, modified, underground stem base, bearing leaves and buds, and acting as a vegetative, reproductive structure in certain plants, such as gladiolus and crocus.

The sentence is, "The saffron crocus, which produces the world's most expensive spice, is a well-known corm."

- Corm.

C-O-R-M-E.

"Corme."

(bell dings) - [Wendy] Another tough one.

- [Jason] Tricky stuff happening here in round three.

Elisabeth Loveless now making her way to the microphone.

- Your word has a homonym or could be confused with another word.

The word is adolescence.

It's a noun, meaning the period of life from puberty to maturity, terminating legally at the age of majority.

Adolescence.

- Could you please use it in a sentence?

- Tracy wonders if her nerves will survive her daughter's adolescence.

- Adolescence.

A-D-O-L-E S-C-E-N-C-E.

"Adolescence."

- Correct.

- Good job.

- [Jason] And now, Henry Mixer, stepping forward once again to the mic.

- This word also has a homonym or could be confused with another word.

The word is debutante.

It's a noun, meaning a young woman making her formal entrance into society.

Debutante.

- Can I have the definition?

- [Wayla] A young woman making her formal entrance into society.

- Could you repeat the word?

- Debutante.

- D-E-B-U-T-A-N-T.

(bell dings) - [Jason] And now, Anthony Ruiz stepping forward to receive his round three word.

- [Wayla] Your word is continuous.

- Continuous.

C-O-N-T-I N-U-O-U-S.

"Continuous."

- [Randy] Correct.

- [Jason] And Anthony will move on to round four.

Bringing Jamari Wilkins up for his round three word.

- [Wayla] Your word is depredation.

- Can I get a definition, please?

- The act of plundering, despoiling, or making inroads.

- Can I have it in a sentence?

- Faced with certain depredation by the hostile mob, the villagers hurriedly hid their valuables and food.

- Depredation.

D-E-P-R-E-D-A-T I-O-N.

"Depredation."

- [Randy] Correct.

- [Jason] Moving on to round four with that spelling.

And now Sana Al-Dabbagh stepping forward once again.

- [Wayla] Your word is lambently.

- Lambently.

Could I have the definition, please?

- In a light and brilliant manner.

- Could you use it in a sentence, please?

- Carla's eyes flashed lambently under her dark brows.

- Are there any alternate pronunciations?

- [Wayla] No.

- Could I have the origin, please?

- [Wayla] It's from Latin.

- Could I have the definition again, please?

- In a light and brilliant manner.

- Lambently.

Am I saying this correct?

- [Wayla] Lambently.

- Lambently.

L-A-M-B E-N-T-L-Y.

- [Randy] Correct.

- Well done.

- And she's moving on.

And now Aubree Ellis steps forward.

- [Wayla] Your word is triceratops.

- Can you give me the definition, please?

- Any animal or fossil of the huge herbivorous dinosaurs having a skull with two large horns above the eyes, a median horn on the nose, and a great bony hood or transverse crest over the neck.

- Triceratops.

T-R-I-C-E R-A-T-O-P-S.

- [Randy] Correct.

- [Jason] Nice word.

Nice job with that herbivorous dinosaur.

And now Grace Turner stepping forward for her word.

- [Wayla] Your word is biomimicry.

- Can I please have all the information?

- The first part of this word is from Greek, the second part is from Latin, and the final part is from English.

It's a noun, meaning the imitation of natural biological designs or processes in engineering or invention.

The sentence is: The Velcro fastener designed like the burrs on a burdock plant is an example of biomimicry.

- Could you please repeat the language of origin?

- The first part of this word is from Greek, the second part is from Latin, and the final part is from English.

- Biomimicry.

B-I-O-M-I M-I-C-R-Y.

"Biomimicry."

- [Randy] Correct.

- [Jason] And Grace, making it on to the next round, bringing Charlotte Muntz up to the microphone once again.

- [Wayla] Your word is agonistic.

- Agonistic.

Can I have a definition?

- [Wayla] Seeking to overcome in discussion or debate; argumentative.

- Can I have the language of origin?

- [Wayla] This word passed from Greek to Latin.

- Can you repeat the word?

- [Wayla] Agonistic.

- Agonistic.

A-G-O-N I-S-T-I-C.

"Agonistic."

- [Randy] Correct.

And once again, our last speller of this round, Matthew Sun, steps forward.

- [Wayla] Your word is bowsprit.

- Can I have all the... (coughs) Sorry.

Can I have all the information?

- This word probably came to English from German.

It's a noun.

It means a large spar projecting forward from the stem of a ship to carry sail forward and to support the masts by stays.

Hayir decided to outfit his old sailboat with a modern aluminum bowsprit.

There's another pronunciation as well, which is bowsprit.

- Can you repeat the word?

- Bowsprit.

- What is the alternate pronunciation?

- Bowsprit.

- B... Bowsprit.

B-O-W-S P-R-I-T.

- [Randy] Correct.

- Well done.

(audience laughing) (laughs) Well done, in a sigh of relief right there.

Outstanding focus from all of our spellers in this first three round, and round four will be right back in just a minute as WHRO's coverage of the TowneBank Spelling Bee continues in just a moment.

- Elmo's so happy you're here on "Sesame Street."

♪ Sunny days, sweeping the clouds away ♪ ♪ On my way to where the air is sweet ♪ - Get ready to laugh, my friend!

- Oh, boy, oh, boy, oh, boy!

♪ Just imagine ♪ ♪ Will happen ♪ ♪ Just imagine ♪ ♪ Whoo-Hoo, whoo-hoo ♪ - Yay!

- Get ready to laugh, my friend.

(lively upbeat music) - And welcome back to the TowneBank Spelling Bee here at WHRO TV studios.

Once again, my name's Jason Kypros, and I'm joined by Wendy Hazel.

Now, we're about to start round four, and we have 21 spellers in this round, but in round three, we had some interesting things happen, Wendy.

We had a review in that round.

- We did, yeah.

The judges take their jobs very seriously, and so they weren't sure if they heard him spell the word correctly, and they reviewed it together, the three judges, and decided that he had not spelled the word correctly.

- And then he was dismissed from the competition, but then there was a challenge.

So speak to this challenge.

- Correct.

So appeal was filed, and then the judges will review it again and maybe not just listen to audio.

They might also look at video of it.

And in that case, they determined that yes, he did spell the word correctly, so he's welcome back to the competition.

- And with that, ladies and gentlemen, we're about to start round four of the TowneBank Spelling Bee with 21 spellers remaining.

We'll take it down to our pronouncer, Wayla Chambo, as she gives the first round four word to Hiya Singh.

- Your word for this round is collegiality.

- Collegiality.

May I have all the information for this word, please?

- This word is made up of a Latin-derived French word plus an English element.

It's a noun, meaning the cooperative relationship of coworkers generally of similar rank.

The sentence is: The principal was proud of the sincere collegiality among the teachers and teachers' aides.

There is another pronunciation as well, which is collegiality.

- Collegiality.

Am I saying this right?

- Yeah.

Collegiality.

- Right.

Collegiality.

Could you please repeat the word?

- Collegiality.

- Collegiality.

C-O-L-L-E-G I-A-L-I-T-Y.

"Collegiality."

- [Randy] Correct.

- [Jason] That's the way to start off round four.

And now we bring Kieran White back up to the microphone.

- The word is effraction.

It's a noun.

It means the action of making forcible entry.

Effraction.

- Can I have the definition, please?

The action of making forcible entry.

- All right.

Can you use it in a sentence, please?

- Marcel calmly explained that what looked like criminal effraction was actually him trying to get back into his house after forgetting his key.

- Effraction.

E-F-F-A C-T-I-O-N.

"Effaction."

(bell dings) - [Jason] Oh, that's a tough one.

- [Wendy] That was tough.

- [Jason] And now, Nathan Petzar makes his way to the mic for his round four word.

- [Wayla] Your word for this round is centennial.

- May I have the definition?

- A 100th anniversary or its celebration.

- Can you say the word again?

- Centennial.

- Centennial.

C-E-N-T-E-N-N-I-A-L.

"Centennial."

- [Randy] Correct.

- [Jason] And now, Taddy Evasco stepping forward for his word.

- [Wayla] Your word is deltoidal.

- Can you use it in a sentence, please?

- Peter was astonished to see that his five-year-old daughter, Charlotte, had constructed a deltoidal icosahedron out of magnetic preschool blocks.

- Deltoidal.

D-E-L-T O-I-D-A-L.

"Deltoidal."

- Correct.

- [Jason] Who wouldn't have been excited to see their preschooler construct that?

Suhani Joshi coming up to the mic for her word.

- Your word this time is a homonym, or it could be confused with another word.

The word is papyrus.

It's a noun.

It means a writing material used by the ancient Egyptians, Greeks, and Romans, prepared from the pith of a tall sedge of the Nile Valley by cutting it in strips, soaking them in water, and pressing them into a homogeneous surface.

Papyrus.

- Papyrus.

Can you repeat the word one time, please?

- [Wayla] Papyrus.

- Papyrus.

May I have all the information?

You don't need to repeat the definition.

- This word passed to English from Latin, which took it from a Greek word.

Again, it's a noun.

And the sentence is, Sarah joked that her father was so old that his original driver's license was probably printed on papyrus.

- Papyrus.

Are there any alternate pronunciations?

- [Wayla] No.

- Papyrus.

Repeat the word one more time, please.

- [Wayla] Papyrus.

- Papyrus.

Papyrus.

P-A-P-Y-R-U-S.

"Papyrus."

- Correct.

- Thank you.

- [Jason] It was a good sentence.

Signed off by a herbaceous triceratops, no doubt.

(Wendy laughs) Hazel Fowler making her way to the mic for her round four word.

- [Wayla] Your word is existential.

- May I have the definition?

- It means of, relating to, or dealing with the totality of being.

- Can I have it in a sentence?

- [Wayla] The cat considered the new puppy to be an existential threat and refused to be in the same room with it.

Existential?

- [Wayla] Existential.

- Existential E-X S T-E-N-T-I-A-L.

(bell dings) - [Jason] It wasn't.

And now Chudi Zhou making her way up for her round four word.

- Your word has a homonym or could be confused with another word.

The word is woebegone.

It's an adjective.

It means exhibiting a condition of suffering, great distress, sorrow, or misery.

Woebegone.

- May I please have it used in a sentence?

- The children's woebegone faces began to brighten as they saw the cake and ice cream.

- Woebegone.

W-O-E-B-E G-O-N-E.

"Woebegone."

- Correct.

- Very confident with that one.

And now, Sahil Kothari.

- [Wayla] Your word for this round is circumflex.

- Circumflex.

C-I-R-C-U-M F-L-E-X.

"Circumflex."

- [Randy] Correct.

- [Jason] No question about that one.

Moving on to round five.

And now Rhowan Sigler, stepping forward.

- [Wayla] Your word is aubergine.

- May I have the definition?

- A variable color, averaging a blackish purple.

- A-U-B-E-R-G-I-N-E.

"Aubergine."

- [Randy] Correct.

- [Jason] Well done, well done.

Stevie Mutrie stepping forward once again for his word this round.

- [Wayla] Your word is blastogenesis.

- Blastogenesis.

Can I have the language of origin?

- This word was formed from parts that passed from Greek to Latin.

- Okay.

Blastogenesis.

Blastogenesis.

B-L-A-S-T-O G-E-N-E-S-I-S.

"Blastogenesis."

- Correct.

- Thank you.

- [Jason] That's how you hang in right there.

And now, Yarnell Deh stepping up to the mic.

Yarnell wants to become a nuclear engineer, and this will be his round four word.

- Right on, Yarnell.

Your word for this round is dihedral.

- Dihedral?

- [Wayla] Dihedral.

- Can I have the definition, please?

- Having or formed by two plane faces.

- Language of origin, please.

- This word consists of an originally Greek element plus Greek and Latin-derived English elements.

- Dihedral.

D-I-H-E-D-R-A-L.

"Dihedral."

- Correct.

- Very confident spelling right there by Yarnell, and now we're bringing Devendra Gopaul to the mic.

- Your word has a homonym or could be confused with another word.

The word is nitrate.

It's a noun.

It means a salt or ester of nitric acid.

Nitrate.

- Are there any alternate pronunciations?

- Nitrate.

- Can you use it in a sentence, please?

Sodium nitrate is often used in plant fertilizer.

- Nitrate.

N-I-T R-A-T-E.

"Nitrate."

- [Randy] Correct.

- [Jason] And now, stepping up to the mic, once more, Elliot Morrison.

- Your word also has a homonym or could be confused with another word.

The word is astigmatism.

It's a noun.

It means a defect of vision due to a defect of the refractive system of the eye, commonly caused by irregular conformation of the cornea.

Astigmatism.

- Astigmatism.

A-S-T-I-G M-A-T-I-S-M.

"Astigmatism."

- Correct.

- [Jason] Elliot, moving on.

And now Elisabeth Loveless steps forward.

- [Wayla] Your word for this round is gallbladder.

- Could you please give me the definition?

- It means a membranous muscular sac present in most vertebrates in which the bile from the liver is stored until required.

- Gallbladder.

G-A-L-L-B-L-A D-D-E-R.

"Gallbladder."

- [Randy] Correct.

- [Jason] Very confident.

Nice cadence.

And now, Anthony Ruiz stepping forward again for another word.

- Your word is also a homonym or could be confused with another word.

The word is dissemble.

It's a verb.

It means to conceal facts, motives, intentions, or feelings under some pretense.

Dissemble.

- Dissemble.

D-I-S-I-M-B-L-E.

"Disimble."

(bell dings) - [Jason] Oh, that's too bad.

And now Jamari Wilkins will step forward for his round four word.

- [Wayla] Your word for this round is peacenik.

- May I have the definition, please?

- It means an opponent of war, specifically one who participates in anti-war demonstrations.

- Can I have it in a sentence?

- Brenna made Grandma promise to look for the scrapbook with pictures of her days as a peacenik in the 1970s.

- Can you repeat the word?

- Peacenik.

- Peacenik.

P-E A-C-E-N-I-C.

"Peacenic."

(bell dings) - So close.

- [Wendy] So close.

- [Jason] And now, with only five spellers remaining this round, Sana Al-Dabbagh steps forward to the mic.

- [Wayla] Your word for this round is mozzarella.

- Could I have the definition, please?

- It means a moist, white, rubbery, unsalted cheese that has a somewhat acid flavor.

- Are there any alternate pronunciations?

- Mozzarella.

- [Sana] Could I have the origin, please?

- This word is from Italian.

- Could you repeat the definition one more time?

- A moist, white, rubbery, unsalted cheese that has a somewhat acid flavor.

- Mozzarella.

M-O-Z-Z A-R-E-L-L-A.

"Mozzarella."

- Correct.

- [Jason] That will move her forward to the next round and bring Aubree Ellis back up to the microphone.

- Your word for this round is retrocedence.

Can you use that in a definition?

Or can you give me the definition, please?

- The act or process of giving back a territory or jurisdiction, typically by treaty or negotiated pact.

- Can you pronounce it again?

- Retrocedence.

- Retrocedence.

R-E-T-R-O-S C-E-D-E N-C-E.

(bell dings) - That was a tough one.

- That was a tough one.

And now Grace Turner steps up one more time.

- [Wayla] Your word for this round is Durango.

- Can I please have all the information?

- This word comes from a Mexican geographical name.

It's a noun.

It means a moderate brown that is yellower, lighter, and stronger than auburn, lighter, stronger, and slightly redder than chestnut brown, and redder, lighter, and stronger than coffee.

The sentence is: Tyrone wanted to buy a new leather sofa in Durango, but Maria thought the shade was too yellowish and asked if they could order it in adobe brown.

The alternate pronunciation is Durango.

- Can you repeat the language of origin, please?

- This word is from a Mexican geographical name.

- Durango.

D-U-R E-N-G-O.

"Durengo."

(bell dings) - [Jason] That's a tough one.

And now Charlotte Muntz stepping forward for her round four word.

- [Wayla] Your word is cybernetics.

- Cybernetics.

May I have the definition?

- The comparative study of the automatic control system formed by the nervous system and brain and by mechanical-electrical communication systems and devices, such as computers or thermostats.

- Cybernetic.

C-Y-B-E-R N-E-T-I-C.

"Cybernetic."

(bell dings) - That was tough.

- Yeah.

- [Jason] And now, our last speller for this round four, Matthew Sun, is ready for his word at the microphone.

- [Wayla] Your word for this round is declension.

- Can I have all... (coughs) Can I have all the information?

- This word is probably from a word that went from Latin to French.

It's a noun.

It means a presentation in some prescribed order of the inflectional forms of a noun, adjective, or pronoun.

The sentence is: A complete Latin noun declension consists of up to seven different grammatical cases.

The alternate pronunciation is declension.

- [Wendy] He's thinking.

- Can you repeat the word?

- Declension.

- Declension.

Declension.

- Repeat it.

- Declension.

- Can you repeat the definition?

- A presentation in some prescribed order of the inflectional forms of a noun, adjective, or pronoun.

- Can you repeat the word?

- Declension.

- Can you repeat the word?

- Declension.

- What is the part of speech?

- [Wayla] It's a noun.

- Can you repeat it?

- [Wayla] Declension.

- Declension.

D-E C-L-E-N-T-I-O-N.

(bell dings) - [Wendy] Oh, that was close.

- That was really close.

And after four rounds, the action is heating up, and the words are getting harder, so we will take a quick break, but we'll be right back with more from the TowneBank Spelling Bee.

(children laughing) (door clunking) - Hi, neighbor!

- It's time for lift off!

- Three!

- Two!

- One!

- Let's go!

- Let's go!

- Hello!

- This is the best thing!

(Elmo laughing) ♪ I am never giving up ♪ - You can do this, Elmo.

- Let's go.

- [Group] Yay!

- I did it!

(group cheers) ♪ 'Cause all my friends, all my friends are here ♪ ♪ Oh ♪ ♪ All my friends, all my friends are here ♪ - I love helping people.

♪ Singing it out ♪ Hi, Super Readers.

- [Character] Activate.

- [Group] Yeah!

- They really need our help.

Let's go!

- To the Creature Rescue!

♪ All my friends, all my friends are here ♪ - I'm your best friend.

- This is a real magical place, Stu.

♪ All my friends are here ♪ (cat vocalizes) - Hello, and welcome back.

Thank you all for rejoining us here at WHRO for the 2026 TowneBank Spelling Bee.

Round five is about to begin.

We have 13 spellers remaining, and our first pronouncer, Bobbie Fisher, is back at the podium.

She will welcome Hiya Singh to the mic for the first word of round five.

- [Bobbie] And your word for this round is resuscitate.

- Could you please repeat the word?

- Resuscitate.

- Resuscitate.

Could you please give me all the information for this word?

- The word's from Latin.

It's a verb meaning to revive from apparent death or from unconsciousness.

Gemma peeked ahead to the last chapter of the book and learned that a young hospital intern would resuscitate the main character.

- May I please have the language of origin?

- [Bobbie] It's from Latin.

- Resuscitate.

Am I saying this right?

- [Bobbie] Resuscitate.

- Resuscitate.

Could you please repeat the word?

- [Bobbie] Resuscitate.

- Resuscitate.

May I please have a definition one more time?

- [Bobbie] It's to revive from apparent death or from unconsciousness.

- Resuscitate.

Could you please repeat the word?

- Resuscitate.

- Are there any alternate pronunciations?

- [Bobbie] There are not.

- Resuscitate.

Could you please repeat the word?

- Resuscitate.

- [Hiya] Resuscitate.

- Resuscitate.

- Resuscitate.

R-E C... May I please restart?

- You can; you can restart.

You cannot change anything you've already said.

- Okay.

Could you please repeat the word?

- Resuscitate.

- Resuscitate.

- R-E-C-U-S-C-I-T-A-T-E.

"Recuscitate."

(bell dings) - [Jason] That was tough.

- [Wendy] That was.

- [Jason] And now Nathan Petzar will make his way to the microphone.

- Nathan, your word has a homonym or could be confused with another word.

The word is clarion.

It's a noun, and it means a medieval trumpet.

- Clarion.

Can I have the definition?

- It's a medieval trumpet.

- Can you say the word again?

- Clarion.

- C... Oh, yes.

Clarion.

Clarion.

C-L-A-R-I-O-N.

"Clarion."

- [Randy] Correct.

- [Jason] And Nathan moves on to the next round, bringing Taddy Evasco to the mic.

- And you also have a word with a homonym or a word that can be confused with another.

Your word is porcelain.

It's a noun, and it refers to hard, fine-grained, nonporous, sonorous, and usually translucent white ceramic ware that has a hard-paste body, is fired at a high temperature, and is used especially for table and ornamental wares.

Porcelain.

- Can you give me the language of origin, please?

- It's from a Latin word that became Italian and then French.

- [Wendy] That's complicated.

- Porcelain.

P-O-R-C-E-L A-I-N.

"Porcelain."

- Correct.

- Using his knowledge there to get through that word.

Which brings last year's winner, Suhani Joshi, back up to the microphone.

- [Bobbie] Your word for this round is Afghan.

- Afghan.

Can you repeat the word, please?

- Afghan.

- Afghan.

May I have all the information, please?

- Sure.

The word's from Persian.

It's a noun, and it refers to a blanket or shawl of colored wool, knitted or crocheted in strips or squares which are joined by sewing or crocheting.

Mrs.

Campbell knitted a striped Afghan as a housewarming present for her new neighbors.

Alternative pronunciation: Afghan.

- Afghan.

Can you please repeat both pronunciations?

- Sure.

There's Afghan and Afghan.

- Please repeat it one more time.

- Both?

- Yes, please.

- Okay.

Afghan, Afghan.

- Afghan.

A-F-G-H-A-N.

"Afghan."

- Correct.

- Thank you.

- [Jason] And now, Chudi Zhou, stepping forward for her round five spelling word.

- [Bobbie] Your word is campanology.

- May I please have the definition?

- It's the art of bell ringing.

- Are there any alternate pronunciations?

- [Bobbie] Just the one.

- And may I have it used in a sentence?

- After she was invited to help the village church bell ringers at their weekly practice, Tina took a keen interest in campanology.

- Campanology.

C-A-M-P A-N-O-L-O-G-Y.

"Campanology."

- Correct.

- Can really see her thinking through the spelling there.

- [Wendy] Yeah.

- [Jason] And now Sahil Kothari back at the mic.

- [Bobbie] Your word for this round is epidural.

- Can you repeat that?

- Epidural.

- Can you tell me the definition, please?

- It is situated upon or administered outside the tough fibrous membrane that covers the spinal cord.

- Epidural.

E-P-I-D-U-R-A-L.

"Epidural."

- Correct.

- [Jason] Making his way right through that.

Rhowan Sigler now back up to the microphone for her round five word.

- [Bobbie] Your word is trapezoid.

- May I have the definition, please?

- It's a quadrilateral having only two sides parallel.

- Trapezoid.

T-R-A-P-E-Z-O-I-D.

"Trapezoid."

- [Randy] Correct.

- [Jason] Some confident spelling happening here in round five as Stevie Mutrie makes his way up to the mic.

- [Bobbie] Your word for this round is requisition.

- Requisition.

May I get the language of origin?

- It's from Latin.

- May I please get the definition?

- It's a written request for something such as materials, supplies, or personnel authorized but not made available automatically.

- Requisition.

R-E-Q-U I-S I-T-I-O-N.

"Requisition."

- Correct.

- Thank you.

- [Jason] Really seeing our spellers' focus in this round.

- [Wendy] Stellar spelling.

- [Jason] And now Yarnell Deh is back up to the microphone for his word.

- [Bobbie] Your word is repercussion.

- Can you repeat the word, please?

- Repercussion.

- Repercussion?

- Repercussion.

- Repercussion.

Okay.

Can I have the definition, please?

- It's an impact, action, or effect given or exerted in return, a reciprocal action or effect.

- Can I get the language of origin?

- [Bobbie] It's from Latin.

- All right.

Repercussion, repercussion.

I cannot pronounce that.

(laughs) (Bobbie laughing) R-E-P-R-E-C-U S-S-I-O-N.

"Reprecussion."

(bell dings) - [Jason] Ah, that's tough.

- [Wendy] That was a tough one.

- [Jason] And now, Devendra Gopaul back up to the mic.

- [Bobbie] Your word for this round: hallucinate.

- Hallucinate.

Can I have the definition, please?

- It's to perceive objects of no reality or experience sensations with no external cause.

- May I hear it in a sentence, please?

- Maureen became so hungry on her walk home from school that she began to hallucinate, smelling delicious food on every corner that was nowhere to be found.

- Hallucinate.

H-A-L L-U C I-N-A-T-E.

"Hallucinate."

- [Randy] That's correct.

- [Wendy] Really thought through that one.

- [Jason] He sure did.

And now Elliot Morrison will have another shot here in round five.

- Your word's a homonym or could have a word that's similar.

So your word is sclerosis.

It's a noun, and it refers to the pathological hardening of tissue produced by an overgrowth of fibrous tissue and other changes or by increase in interstitial tissue and other changes.

Sclerosis.

- Are there any alternate pronunciations?

- [Bobbie] There are none given.

- Okay.

Can you use this in a sentence, please?

- The sclerosis of Shamir's artery puts him at risk of having a heart attack.

- Sclerosis.

Am I pronouncing that correctly?

- [Bobbie] Sclerosis.

- Sclerosis.

Sclerosis or sclerosis?

- [Bobbie] Sclerosis.

- S-C L E-R O-S-I-S.

"Sclerosis."

- [Jason] Nice.

- Correct.

- That's correct.

Those pesky schwa sounds.

- Nice work.

- Those can be- - [Jason] All right.

And now Elisabeth Loveless stepping up to the mic for her round five word.

- All right, you've also got a word that has a homonym or could be confused with another word.

Your word is diatonic.

It's an adjective, and it refers to a standard major or minor scale of eight tones to the octave without chromatic deviation.

Diatonic.

- Could you please give me the language of origin?

- It went from Greek to Latin.

- May I use it in a sentence, please?

- Most American folk melodies are diatonic.

- Could you repeat it one more time, please?

- [Bobbie] Diatonic.

- Diatonic.

D-I-A-T-O-N-I-C.

"Diatonic."

- [Randy] Correct.

- [Jason] All right.

Which will bring our last speller of this round to the microphone, Sana Al-Dabbagh.

- [Bobbie] You've also got a word that has a homonym or could be confused with another.

Your word is cribble.

- [Sana] Can I have the definition, please?

- It's a meshed or perforated device or utensil through which dry, loose material such as flour or ashes is winnowed or refined, a strainer.

- Are there any alternate pronunciations?

- [Bobbie] There are none given.

- Could I have the language of origin, please?

- [Bobbie] It's a word that went from Latin-derived French.

- Could you say the word one last time?

- [Bobbie] Cribble.

- Cribble.

C-R-I-B-B-L-E.

"Cribble."

- [Randy] Correct.

- All right.

And what an exciting round five.

The action is heating up, and these young spellers are doing a wonderful job.

We're gonna take a quick break, but don't go far.

We'll be right back with more of the TowneBank Spelling Bee.

- [Narrator] From the Northern Neck to northeastern North Carolina.

From the Eastern Shore to the Historic Triangle and the Seven Cities.

Wherever you call home, WHRO+ is right there with you.

Streaming documentaries that spark wonder, programs that make you smile, and stories that bring our region to life.

Download WHRO+ on your smart TV or mobile device and take us anywhere, anytime, inspiring you to feel smarter and happier.

- And welcome back to the 2026 TowneBank Spelling Bee here at WHRO.

We're now entering round six.

We have 11 spellers left.

This is the opportunity for our stellar spellers to show off their etymological excellence with some tough words.

- Nice alliteration.

- Hey, no sweat.

Let's take it down to Bobbie, our pronouncer, as our first speller, Nathan Petzar, makes his way to the mic.

- And your word for this round is integument.

- May I have the definition?

- [Bobbie] It's an enveloping layer, membrane, or structure such as the skin of a fish or the exoskeleton of an insect.

- Are there any other pronunciations?

- [Bobbie] There are none given.

- Could you say the word again?

- [Bobbie] Integument.

- Integument.

I-N-T-E G-U-M-E-N-T.

"Integument."

- [Randy] That's correct.

- [Jason] And now Taddy Evasco will make his way to the mic for his word.

- [Bobbie] Your word is photovoltaic.

- Can you give me the definition, please?

- It's of, utilizing, or relating to the generation of an electromotive force when radiant energy falls on the boundary between certain dissimilar substances in close contact.

- Can you use it in a sentence, please?

- A photovoltaic effect can be produced with cuprous oxide and copper or with an electrode and an electrolyte.

Electrolyte.

Sorry.

Electrolyte.

- Are there any alternate pronunciations?

- There are: photovoltaic.

- Can you say both pronunciations again, please?

- Photovoltaic, photovoltaic.

- Photovoltaic.

P-H-O-T O-V-O... Can I start again, please?

- [Randy] Can't change anything you've already said, but yes.

- Can you repeat the word again, please?

- [Bobbie] Photovoltaic, photovoltaic.

- Okay.

P-H-O-T-O V-O-L-T-A-I-C.

"Photovoltaic."

- Great job.

- Correct.

- And there he goes onto the next round, as Suhani Joshi makes her way up for her round six word.

- [Bobbie] Your word is holobenthic.

- Holobenthic.

Can you repeat the word, please?

- Holobenthic.

- Holobenthic.

May I have all the information, please?

- Both parts of this word are originally Greek.

It's an adjective, meaning inhabiting the deep sea during all stages of life.

Holobenthic species typically do not go through a free-swimming larval stage.

Holobenthic, holobenthic.

- Holobenthic.

Am I saying that correctly?

- [Bobbie] Holobenthic.

Holobenthic.

- Holo... Can you repeat both pronunciations one more time, please?

- [Bobbie] Holobenthic, holobenthic.

- Holobenthic.

H-O-L-O B-E-N-T H-I-C.

"Holobenthic."

- [Randy] Correct.

- Thank you.

- [Jason] Nice job as Chudi Zhou makes her way to the mic.

- [Bobbie] Your word is ethylene.

- Could you please repeat the word?

- Ethylene.

- Could you please use this word in a sentence?

- When ethylene is polymerized, the product is polyethylene, plastic material used for making containers.

- Ethylene.

E-T-H-Y L-E-N-E.

"Ethylene."

- [Randy] Correct.

- [Jason] Some good spelling happening- - [Wendy] Yeah, great spelling.

- [Jason] As Sahil Kothari makes his way back up to the mic.

- Your word has a homonym or could be confused with another word.

The word is chorten.

It's a noun, and it refers to a Tibetan Buddhist shrine or monument.

Chorten.

- Can you please give me the origin?

- It's of Tibetan origin.

- Are there any alternate pronunciations?

- [Bobbie] Not given.

- Can you repeat the word, please?

- [Bobbie] Chorten.

- Chorten.

C-H-O-R-T-E-N.

"Chorten."

- [Randy] Correct.

- [Jason] And with that, Rhowan Sigler now back up to the mic for her round six word.

- And you've got a word that has a homonym or could be confused with another word.

The word is rondeau.

It's a noun, and it refers to a poem in a fixed form of verse consisting usually of 15 lines of eight or 10 syllables divided into three stanzas.

Rondeau.

- May I have the part of speech again?

- It's a noun.

- Rondeau.

R-A-N-D-O.

"Rando."

(bell dings) - [Jason] And now Stevie Mutrie steps forward to the mic for his round six word.

- You also have a word that has a homonym or could be confused with another.

Your word is farrago.

It's a noun.

It refers to a confused, disordered, or irrational assemblage of words or ideas.

Farrago.

- Yes, ma'am.

Farrago.

Am I saying this correctly?

- Farrago.

- Farrago.

Can I get the origin?

- It's from Latin.

- Farrago.

F-E-R-A-G-O.

"Ferago."

(bell dings) - [Wendy] Tough one.

- [Jason] That was a tough one.

And now Devendra Gopaul coming forward for his word.

- You also have a word that's a homonym or could be confused with another.

Your word is parquet.

It's a noun and refers to patterned flooring, especially one made of joinery consisting of an inlay of geometric or other patterns, usually of different colors.

Parquet.

- Are there any other pronunciations?

- There aren't any given.

- Can you use it in a sentence?

- Toshiko had expensive parquet installed in the foyer.

- Can you give me all the information, please?

- All the information?

Sure.

The word is from a Latin-derived French word.

It's a noun.

It's patterned flooring, especially one made of joinery consisting of an inlay of geometric or other patterns, usually of different colors.

The sentence reads: Toshiko had expensive parquet installed in the foyer.

- Parquet.

P-A-R-Q-U-E.

"Parque."

(bell dings) - [Jason] That's tough.

- [Wendy] That's close.

- [Jason] And now, Elliot Morrison steps forward.

- Once again, you have a word that has a homonym or can be confused with another.

Your word is meringue.

It's a noun, and it's a mixture of beaten egg whites and powdered sugar baked at low temperature and used as a topping, like on pies or puddings.

Meringue.

- [Jason] Really thinking it through.

- Meringue.

M-E-R E-N-G-U-E.

"Merengue."

(bell dings) - Oh, they're so close.

- [Jason] That's so close.

They're all so close on these tough words in round six.

And now Elisabeth Loveless steps forward to the microphone.

- [Bobbie] Your word for this round is luche.

- Could I please have the definition?

- It means devious, perverse, or sinister.

- Could you please give me the language of origin?

- [Bobbie] It's a word that came from French, which formed it from a Latin word.

- Could you please use it in a sentence?

- After she caught the boys who had teased her poodle, Ms.

Vorrell told them that she had never seen such luche behavior.

- Luche.

L-U-S-H-E.

"Lushe."

(bell dings) - [Jason] Really hitting some tough words here in round six.

And our last speller of this round would be Sana Al-Dabbagh.

- Your word this time is pejorate.

- Could you repeat the word, please?

- [Bobbie] Pejorate.

- Could I have the definition, please?

- It means to make worse or to depreciate.

- Are there any alternate pronunciations?

- [Bobbie] Pejorate.

- Could I have the language of origin, please?

- It's from Latin.

- Could I have both pronunciations again, please?

- Pejorate, pejorate.

- Could I have the part of speech, please?

- [Bobbie] It's a verb.

- Pejorate.

P-E-G-I R-A-T-E.

"Pegirate."

(bell dings) - And with that, we end round six.

We're gonna take a quick break here at WHRO, but we'll be right back with more from the TowneBank Spelling Bee in just a moment.

- [Narrator] Ready to embrace the spirit of giving this year?

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Use our secure online form and let your spring cleaning start you on the road to positive change.

- And we are back with more of the 2026 TowneBank Spelling Bee.

We're about to begin round seven with only five spellers remaining.

This has got everyone on the edge of their seat, so let's not waste any time.

Let's get down there to the studio floor, where Wayla Chambo is now once again in the pronouncer seat.

She will welcome Nathan Petzar to the mic and give him his first word.

- Your word for this round is medulla.

- Could you say that again?

- Medulla.

- What's the language of origin?

- [Wayla] It's from Latin.

- What's the definition?

- A posterior portion of the vertebrate brain.

- [Jason] Thinking it through.

- Multiple shell sounds.

- Are there any other alternate pronunciations?

- [Wayla] Medulla.

- Medulla.

Could you say that word again?

- Medulla, medulla.

- Okay.

Medulla.

M-E-D-U-L-L-A.

"Medulla."

- He did that.

- [Randy] Correct.

- Very good, yes.

- Good job, Nathan.

And now, Taddy Evasco stepping forward for his round seven word.

- Your word for this round is vitiate.

- Can you give me the definition, please?

- [Wayla] It means to make incomplete, faulty, or defective, to injure the substance or quality of, to contaminate, to spoil.

- Can you use it in a sentence, please?

- Shamar argued that Ryan's poor acting ability would vitiate the school play.

- What is the language of origin?

- It's from Latin.

- Can you say the word, please, again?

- Vitiate.

- Are there any alternate pronunciations?

- [Wayla] None are given.

- Can you say the word again, please?

- Vitiate.

- Vitiate.

V-I-C-I A-T-E.

"Viciate."

(bell dings) - [Jason] That was a tough one.

And now coming up to the mic, Suhani Joshi for her round seven word.

- Your word for this round has a homonym, or it could be confused with another word.

The word is miscible.

It's an adjective.

It means capable of being mixed.

Specifically, capable of mixing in any ratio without separation of two phases, used especially of fluids.

Miscible.

- Miscible.

Can you repeat the word, please?

- Miscible.

- Miscible.

Can I have all the information?

- It's from Latin.

It's an adjective.

It means capable of being mixed, specifically capable of mixing in any ratio without separation of two phases, used especially of fluids.

The sentence is: Water and vinegar are miscible.

Oil and vinegar are not.

- Are there any alternate pronunciations?

- [Wayla] There aren't any given.

- Can you repeat the word one more time, please?

- Miscible.

- Miscible.

Miscible.

M-I-S-C I-B-L-E.

"Miscible."

- Correct.

- Thank you.

- [Jason] Good spelling right there.

And now Chudi Zhou, stepping back up to the mic.

- Your word for this round is verisimilitude.

- May I please have the definition?

- It means the quality or state of having the appearance of truth.

- May I please have it used in a sentence?

- [Wayla] The artist's scrupulous attention to detail provided an impressive degree of verisimilitude.

- Verisimilitude?

- V-E-R-I S-I-M-I L-I-T-U-D-E.

"Verisimilitude."

- Correct.

- Well done.

- [Jason] Chudi, with that cadence, one more time.

- I know.

- And here comes Sahil Kothari, last speller of this round seven.

- Your word has a homonym or could be confused with another word.

The word is escarole.

It's a noun, and it means an annual or biennial herb, widely cultivated as a salad plant, also called endive.

Escarole.

- Can you give me all the information?

- This word is from a Latin word that became Italian and then French.

It's a noun.

It means an annual or biennial herb, widely cultivated as a salad plant, also called endive.

The sentence is: Helga made a salad of escarole, mushrooms, and tomatoes.

- Are there any alternate pronunciations?

- [Wayla] There aren't any given.

- Can you repeat the word?

- [Wayla] Escarole.

- Escarole.

Am I saying that right?

- [Wayla] Escarole.

- Escarole.

E-S-C-A-R-O-L-L.

"Escaroll."

(bell dings) - All right.

And that's round seven in the books.

We'll be right back with more of the TowneBank Spelling Bee in just a minute.

(bright upbeat music) (toothbrush scraping) ♪ If we wanna keep our teeth both healthy and bright ♪ ♪ We've gotta brush our teeth both day and night ♪ ♪ We gotta brush, brush, brush, brush you see ♪ ♪ We gotta brush our, brush our brush, our teeth ♪ (bell dings) ♪ We're brushing our teeth ♪ ♪ Yeah, we're brushing our teeth ♪ ♪ We gotta brush 'em so they're healthy and clean ♪ ♪ We gotta buh, buh, buh, brush 'em ♪ ♪ Going up and down ♪ ♪ And make big circles, swishing bubbles around ♪ ♪ We gotta buh, buh, buh, brush 'em seven days a week ♪ ♪ So let's make that sound ♪ ♪ Go brush our, brush our, brush our, brush our ♪ ♪ That's the sound ♪ ♪ Brushing our teeth ♪ ♪ We gotta brush 'em seven days a week ♪ ♪ So let's make that sound ♪ ♪ Go and brush our, brush our, brush our, brush our teeth ♪ ♪ Brushing our teeth ♪ ♪ If we wanna keep our teeth both healthy and bright ♪ ♪ We've gotta brush our teeth both day and night ♪ ♪ We gotta brush, brush, brush, brush you see ♪ ♪ We gotta brush our, brush our brush, our teeth ♪ ♪ We gotta brush our, brush our brush, our teeth ♪ (tooth paste squelching) - And welcome back to the 2026 TowneBank Spelling Bee here at WHRO TV studios.

We have an exciting round eight in store for you, with only three spellers left, which means that we have our top three spellers on deck, ready to spell away.

But before we get into that, I think it's a good time, Wendy, to discuss some of the prizes that our spellers will walk home with.

- And there are prizes for our winners.

In addition to taking home the champion trophy, our winner today receives an expenses-paid trip to the Scripps National Spelling Bee, an engraved Apple iPad Mini, and a $250 savings bond from TowneBank.

Our winner also receives a one-year subscription to Britannica Online Premium, a one-year subscription to Merriam-Webster's Unabridged, which is the official dictionary of the bee, and a one-year subscription to News-O-Matic.

Our first runner-up and second runner-up receive trophies as well.

And all students competing in today's bee receive a certificate of participation, a spelling bee tote bag, a spelling bee commemorative T-shirt, and other fun mementos.

- That's exciting stuff.

There's a lot on the line.

So let's go down to the TV studio with Wayla Chambo and our first speller, Nathan Petzar.

- Your word for this round is ostium.

- May I have the information?

- This word is from Latin.

It's a noun.

It means one of the lateral slits in the heart of an arthropod by which the blood enters from the pericardium.

The sentence is: The ostium allows blood to reenter the insect's heart from its singular blood vessel, which runs dorsally the length of its body.

- Can you say the word again?

- Ostium.

- Ostium.

O-S-T-I-U-M.

"Ostium."

- Correct.

- Nice job.

And now Suhani Joshi will step to the mic.

- [Wayla] Your word for this round is pinniped.

- Pinniped.

Can you repeat the word, please?

- Pinniped.

- Pinniped.

May I have all the information, please?

The word is from Latin.

It's a noun.

It means any of a suborder of aquatic carnivorous mammals, including all the seals and the walruses.

The sentence is: Although a pinniped finds its food in the sea, it needs to be on land or ice to give birth to its young.

- Pinniped.

Is there any alternate pronunciations?

- Pinniped is the only one that's given.

- Okay.

Pinniped.

Can you repeat the word one more time, please?

- Pinniped.

- Pinniped.

Pinniped.

P-I-N-N I-P-E-D.

"Pinniped."

- [Randy] That's correct.

- [Suhani] Thank you.

- [Jason] And now, for the final word of round eight, Chudi Zhou.

- Your word for this round is synanthrope.

- May I please have the definition?

- It means an undomesticated organism and especially an animal, such as a mouse, pigeon, or raccoon, that lives in close association with people and benefits from their surroundings and activities.

- May I have it used in a sentence?

- Ricky the raccoon, the neighborhood synanthrope, grew portly from his steady diet of discarded kitchen scraps and assorted trash.

- Synanthrope?

- Synanthrope.

- Okay.

Synanthrope.

S-Y-N-A-N T-H-R-O-P-E.

"Synanthrope."

- [Randy] That's correct.

- [Wendy] Well done.

- We are now entering into round nine, and our same three spellers are holding on, doing a wonderful job.

So let's go ahead and go down to the spelling room floor, where Bobbie Fisher is now back in the pronouncer's chair.

And Nathan Petzar takes the mic.

- And your word for this round has a homonym or could be confused with another word.

Your word is anaphylaxis.

It's a noun, and it refers to hypersensitivity as to foreign proteins or drugs resulting from sensitization following prior contact with the causative agent.

Anaphylaxis.

- Anaphylaxis.

A-N-A-P-H-Y L-L-A-X-I-S.

"Anaphyllaxis."

(bell dings) - [Jason] Oh.

All right.

And now Suhani Joshi makes her way to the microphone.

- Your word for this round is mascarpone.

- Mascarpone.

May I have all the information, please?

- [Bobbie] Sure.

It's a word from Italian.

It's a noun referring to an Italian cream cheese.

Luca likes to use mascarpone when making cheesecake.

- Are there any alternate pronunciations?

- [Bobbie] No.

- Mascarpone.

M-A-S-C-A R-P-O-N-E.

"Mascarpone."

- Correct.

- Thank you.

- [Jason] All right.

And now, Chudi Zhou stepping forward for her word.

- [Bobbie] Your word for this round is scaberulous.

- May I please have the definition?

- It means having minute raised dots, scales, or points.

- May I have it used in a sentence, please?

- The agricultural researcher explained to the rancher that scaberulous grasses are good for a cow's digestion.

- Scaberulous.

Is that correct?

- Scaberulous.

- Scaberulous.

S-C-A-B-E-R U-L-O-U-S.

"Scaberulous."

- [Randy] That's correct.

- [Jason] Round 10.

Two spellers left.

And Suhani Joshi steps to the mic.

- And your word has a homonym or could be confused with another word.

Your word is alepidote.

It's a noun, and it means a fish without scales.

Alepidote.

- Alepidote.

Alepidote.

Are there any alternate pronunciations?

- There are none.

- Okay.

Alepidote.

May I have all the information?

- The word's from Greek; it's a noun, meaning a fish without scales.

The handsaw fish is a deep-sea alepidote.

- Is there any other information?

- (laughing) That's it.

I'm sorry.

- Alepidote.

Can you repeat the definition, please?

- [Bobbie] It means a fish without scales.

- [Jason] Using her knowledge here.

- What's the language of origin again?

- [Bobbie] Greek.

- [Wendy] That could be helpful.

- Can you repeat the word again, please?

- [Bobbie] Alepidote.

- [Jason] Suhani was last year's champion here.

- Can you say it again, please?

- [Bobbie] Sure.

Alepidote.

- [Jason] Working hard to figure out how to spell this word.

- [Wendy] Yeah.

Using what she knows.

- Sorry, can you say it one more time?

- [Bobbie] Alepidote.

- [Jason] They're really thinking it through.

- [Wendy] This is all that study comes into play.

Learning.

- The language of origin again, please?

- [Bobbie] It's from Greek.

- [Wendy] I'm on the edge of my seat right now.

- Say that again, please.

- - [Bobbie] Alepidote.

- [Jason] She just needs to hear it.

She's working it out.

- Can you repeat the sentence?

- The handsaw fish is a deep-sea alepidote.

- Alepidote.

A-L-E P-A-D-O-T-E.

"Alepadote."

(bell dings) - That was tough.

- That's a tough word.

And now, Chudi Zhou stepping forward for her word in round 10.

- Your word is seriatim.

- May I have the word repeated again?

- [Bobbie] Seriatim.

- Could I have the definition, please?

- [Bobbie] It means in sequence.

- Could I have the language of origin?

- It's from Latin.

- Could I have it used in a sentence?

- [Bobbie] Although the class meets in seriatim, each day of the week starts with a different class in the rotation.

- Could I have the word repeated?

- [Bobbie] Seriatim.

- And the part of speech, please?

- [Bobbie] An adverb.

- Seriatim?

- [Bobbie] Seriatim.

- "Do?"

"Seriado?"

- [Bobbie] Seriatim.

- "Dim."

S-E-R I-A-D-I-M.

(bell dings) - So tough.

All right, we're gonna go to another break, ladies and gentlemen.

It just keeps getting better and better down here at the TowneBank Spelling Bee.

Don't go far; we'll be right back.

- Our mission is to make you happier and smarter.

We want to inform, inspire, and strengthen the communities we serve.

Now, we do this in so many ways, but at the core of it all, we do it through education.

- All of the benefits we receive from WHRO cannot be replicated by our individual school divisions, so we benefit immensely from WHRO.

(bright orchestral music) - [Jason] And thanks for tuning back in to the TowneBank Spelling Bee.

We're in round 11, and two spellers remain.

Since both of the previous spellers missed their word, they both have another shot.

Suhani Joshi, up to the mic.

- [Bobbie] Your word is corbeau.

- Corbeau.

May I have all the information, please?

- The word is from Latin-derived French.

It's a noun, and it refers to a greenish black.

Corbeau is an extremely dark green that is almost black and is meant to reflect the color of a crow's wing.

Corbeau.

- Corbeau.

Can you repeat the part of speech?

- It's a noun.

- Corbeau.

Is there any alternate pronunciations?

- None given.

- Can you repeat the word, please?

- Corbeau.

- Can you repeat the language of origin?

- [Bobbie] From Latin-derived French.

- Can you repeat the definition, please?

- It's a greenish black.

- [Wendy] Again, language of origin could be helpful.

- [Jason] Absolutely.

- Corbeau.

Can you repeat the word, please?

- [Bobbie] Corbeau.

- [Jason] Now, if Suhani misspells here, Chudi will have to spell two words correctly in a row in order to be the champion.

- [Wendy] The champion.

Correct.

- Can you repeat it one more time?

- [Bobbie] Corbeau.

- Corbeau.

C-O-R-B-E-A-U.

"Corbeau."

- [Randy] That's correct.

- Thank you.

- Well done.

- [Jason] Nice work.

- [Wendy] Drawing on that knowledge of language.

- [Jason] Absolutely.

And now Chudi Zhou up for her round 11 word.

- [Bobbie] Your word is fulgurant.

- Could I please have the definition?

- It means flashing like lightning or dazzling.

- Hmm.

Could I have the part of speech?

- It's an adjective.

- And could I have it used in a sentence, please?

- [Bobbie] Emily's fulgurant diamond brooch attracted many eyes at the dinner party.

- Fulgurant?

- [Bobbie] Fulgurant.

- Are there any alternate pronunciations?

- Fulgurant.

- Fulgurant.

F-U-L-G-U R-A-N-T.

"Fulgurant."

- [Randy] Correct.

- [Jason] Our two young ladies are doing a wonderful job, and now Suhani Joshi, back up to the mic for her word of round 12.

- And your word for this round has a homonym or could be confused with another word.

The word is carnet.

It's a noun, and it means a customs pass permitting an automobile free passage across national boundaries.

Carnet.

- Carnet.

Carnet.

Can I have all the information, please?

- The word is from Latin-derived French.

It's a noun referring to a customs pass permitting an automobile free passage across national boundaries.

The salesperson has a carnet that allows him to take goods for exhibition across several national boundaries.

Carnet.

- Can you repeat all alternate pronunciations?

- [Bobbie] There aren't any.

- There's no- - No.

- None?

Okay.

Carnet?

Can you repeat all the information?

- The word is from Latin-derived French.

It's a noun.

It refers to a customs pass that permits an automobile free passage across national boundaries.

The sentence reads, "The salesperson has a carnet that allows him to take goods for exhibition across several national boundaries."

Carnet.

- [Jason] Suhani's very knowledgeable.

She's working it through.

- [Wendy] She is.

She definitely has a system.

- [Jason] Mm-hmm.

- Can you repeat the language of origin?

- [Bobbie] From Latin-derived French.

- Can you repeat the word again?

- [Bobbie] Carnet.

- Carnet.

C-A-R-N-E-T.

"Carnet."

- [Randy] Correct.

- Thank you.

- Well done.

- [Jason] And there she goes.

- She's using her knowledge.

- [Jason] And now Chudi Zhou, one more time up to the mic for her round 12 word.

- Your word for this round is pantophagous.

- Could I have the language of origin?

- Both parts of the word are initially Greek.

- And could I have it used in a sentence?

- [Bobbie] The zoologist described the bears as pantophagous because they eat any food given to them.

- Could I have the part of speech?

- [Bobbie] It's an adjective.

- And the definition?

- [Bobbie] Means eating or requiring a variety of foods.

- Pantophagous?

P-A-N T-O-P-H-A-G-O-U-S.

- [Randy] Correct.

- Nice.

(chuckles) Wow, there you have it.

These two ladies just doing what they do best, spelling away.

We'll take a quick break, and we'll be right back with more of the TowneBank Spelling Bee.

- Hey, friends.

How's it going?

I'm Mr.

Steve, musician and songwriter.

I'm here to tell you about a great storytelling program called "Ms.

Martha Reads."

It's a weekly educational program that highlights stories from the PBS KIDS Writers Contest.

- Oh, my goodness.

- [Mr.

Steve] Catch Miss Martha every Friday at 10:00 a.m.

on WHRO Public Media's Facebook and YouTube.

- Because I want you to be the best reader that you could be.

- Don't miss out because everybody wants to be there when Ms.

Martha reads.

- [Jason] And welcome back again to the TowneBank Spelling Bee for another exciting round.

Now we're in round 13 with our two spellers left; Suhani Joshi steps to the mic.

- Your word is amaxophobia.

- Amaxophobia.

May I have all the information, please?

- [Bobbie] The word consists of originally Greek elements.

It's a noun, and it means fear of being in or riding in a vehicle.

After getting into a fender bender, the first day he got his driver's license, Ronald suffered from persistent amaxophobia.

- Are there any alternate pronunciations?

- None given.

- Amaxophobia.

Can you repeat all the information, please?

- The word consists of originally Greek elements.

It's a noun, and it means fear of being in or riding in a vehicle.

After getting into a fender bender the first day he got his driver's license, Ronald suffered from persistent amaxophobia.

- [Jason] She's using her system again here.

- [Wendy] Mm-hmm.

- Amaxophobia.

Can you repeat the definition, please?

- Fear of being in or riding in a vehicle.

- Amaxophobia.

Can I have the language of origin again, please?

- Consists of originally Greek elements.

- Amaxophobia.

Am I saying that correctly?

- [Bobbie] Amaxophobia.

- Amaxophobia.

A-M-A-X-O P-H-O-B-I-A.

"Amaxophobia."

- That's correct.

- Thank you.

- There you have it.

- Well done.

- [Jason] And once again, Chudi Zhou to the mic.

- You have a homonym this time that could be confused with another word.

The word is espagnole.

It's from a French word.

It's a noun.

Sorry.

It's a foundation sauce made of stock, thickened with flour, browned in fat, with added seasonings to taste.

Espagnole.

- Could I have it used in a sentence?

- David's steak came with a tarragon-flavored espagnole.

- Espagnole?

- [Bobbie] Espagnole.

- Espagnole E-S-P-A-N-O-L.

(bell dings) - Oh.

We are entering round 14, and what a competition it has been.

- It's been amazing today.

- Between Chudi and Suhani.

Now, Chudi just spelled out, so Suhani is now entering the anticipated championship word.

Wendy, tell us a little bit more about this.

- So correct, this is a one-word round.

And so if she spells the next word on the list, if she spells it correctly, she is our champion and will be going to represent this region at the nationals.

But if she does not spell this word correctly, then all the spellers, which be our two ladies, will come back.

- Chudi will come back.

- [Wendy] Yeah, she will come back, and they will do another round.

- All right.

Well, this is exciting.

This is what we've all been waiting for.

- We have, yes.

- This moment right here.

This is how it all goes down.

So without any further ado, let's go down to the TV studio and see Suhani attempt her anticipated championship word.

- The word is camionette.

- Camionette.

Camionette.

Okay.

Camionette.

Can I have all the information, please?

- [Bobbie] The word is from a French word.

It's a noun, and it means a small truck or bus.

The hotel provides a camionette to shuttle guests to and from the airport.

- Are there any alternate pronunciations?

- [Bobbie] Camionette.

- Camionette.

Can you repeat the two pronunciations, please?

- Camionette, camionette.

- [Jason] Suhani's been very consistent.

- Can you repeat all the information, please?

- [Bobbie] The word is from a French word.

It's a noun.

It refers to a small truck or bus.

The hotel provides a camionette to shuttle guests to and from the airport.

The two pronunciations are camionette and camionette.

- Can you repeat the two pronunciations again?

- Camionette, camionette.

- [Wendy] She really uses all this information.

- You can tell.

- Mm-hmm.

- Say them one more time, please.

- Camionette, camionette.

- [Jason] She's been in this position before.

Last year, she was our champion.

- [Wendy] She has worked hard to get this far.

- Repeat the pronunciations one more time.

- [Bobbie] Camionette, camionette.

- [Wendy] The concentration.

- [Jason] Yes.

And the anticipation- - I know.

- In the teleconference room.

- Camionette.

C-A-M-I-O-N E-T-T-E.

"Camionette."

- That's correct.

- Ladies and gentlemen, Suhani Joshi, for the second year in a row, takes away the big trophy here in our TowneBank Spelling Bee.

(audience applauding) (bright upbeat music) Congratulations are palpable.

And we'll come back in just a minute and have words with our winner.

(upbeat soft-rock music) - We're at Northampton County Schools, and we are delivering educational equipment as we've been doing for many years now to the divisions on the Eastern Shore.

We've delivered Chromebooks as well as charging stations for their youngest students.

Technology is everywhere in society today, and so many kids on the Eastern Shore don't have access.

They can't afford the kind of technologies that many people can.

So to be able to put Chromebooks in their hands in the school experience really will enhance the experience for all students.

WHRO was founded by two school divisions back in 1961.

Today, we're owned by 21 school divisions.

We work very closely with all of them to enhance the services and programs that they offer to their students.

- So, being a former board member at WHRO, I was very comfortable, you know, having them act as the conduit to get this to the schools.

It's very important that we support education.

- Here in Northampton County, I'm so very blessed to be the superintendent of the school system and to work so closely with WHRO and opportunities such as today's gift of 40 Chromebooks and six pre-wired laptop carts that will allow us to take these to enhance our K1 one-to-one initiative within the classroom.

The equipment's gonna help us enhance our exposure to early literacy skills for our students.

It's gonna help us to enhance that personalized learning that every child needs coming into the school system, as well as it's gonna allow us to build those foundational skills when using age-appropriate technology-related resources for our teachers.

Truly, what it's gonna allow us to do is may help our students to engage more deeply, and then also to allow them to express themselves more confidently within the classroom.

We are so very, very blessed to be in partnership with WHRO, but it allows us to bring resources in that we could not financially afford to provide within our current budget situation.

And so we're able to provide opportunities, to open doors, to really expand our teaching resources.

And again, without WHRO, those opportunities may be limited for our students.

So we thank them, and we appreciate everything they do for us each year.

I'm Dr.

Lisa Martin.

I am the proud superintendent of Northampton County Public Schools, and we are proud owners of WHRO Public Media.

- [Narrator] WHRO, owned by 21 school divisions, supported by people like you.

- What an amazing day we've had here at the WHRO studios in downtown Norfolk.

The TowneBank Spelling Bee started with 45 spellers earlier today.

And we have our top three here now, and all of our other spellers behind us, and we're just so proud of their accomplishments.

They shined so brightly today.

TowneBank is so very proud to sponsor the TowneBank Spelling Bee.

What a wonderful day.

All three of our spellers today are from the peninsula, and Nathan goes to Tabb Middle School.

Congratulations, Nathan.

- Thank you.

- Would you like to say anything?

- Definitely thanks to my mom for helping me out.

She spent a whole bunch of time helping me practice.

- Oh, that's awesome, Nathan.

Well, congratulations to you, my friend.

And this is not Nathan's first bee.

He was with us last year.

So congratulations, Nathan.

(all applauding) Our first runner-up is, Chudi Zhou.

And Chudi is Grafton Middle School, and we are very proud of her accomplishments today.

Chudi, how did you enjoy the spelling bee?

This was your first time here.

- I liked that it was a lot more challenging than the school one.

It actually made me think more about what I was doing.

- Oh, that's awesome.

Yes, and we could see those wheels turning.

You are an outstanding speller, and we are very proud of your accomplishment today.

Congratulations.

(all applauding) And our returning champion, Suhani Joshi.

Suhani was actually our champion last year, and we are very excited to send her back to Washington, D.C., for the Scripps National Spelling Bee happening later this spring.

Suhani, congratulations, my dear.

And so I noticed when you are thinking and when you are preparing to spell, you use the palm of your hand.

Tell us, how does that help you to think through the word and to ultimately spell it correctly?

- Writing it down on my hand helps me visualize the word better.

And the better I can see in my hand, the eye, the more I can say, "Oh, this letter fits.

Oh, no, this one doesn't."

And it helps me, like, eliminate what possibilities and pick the best fit that I think.

- Excellent.

And so you also ask for all of the information that's available to you.

The word origin, use it in a sentence, and all of the information that Bobbie or Wayla provided today.

Does that help also, as you think, you visualize, that information, or does it just give you some time to think more about how you spell the word?

- I mean, it is always helpful.

Like, the word origin can give you a clue on where different parts go.

Yeah, the part of speech helps with, like, the ending.

And, like, so they all help contribute differently, so it's always nice to have all the information, but yeah, it's also nice to have some extra time to think.

(group laughs) - That's great.

That is just terrific.

And Mr.

Joshi, I am assuming that you will be returning to the Scripps Bee with Suhani this year, perhaps, or her mom?

- Yeah, we both went last year, eventually, (laughs) and we'll probably come back again this time around.

And this is our last chance, so we were hoping that she would get another chance at the nationals, and I'm glad that she is gonna get one.

- Congratulations, Suhani.

Your expenses-paid trip to the Scripps National Spelling Bee, the iPad, $250 savings bond from TowneBank, and lots of online, I guess, the dictionary and those things, and then a wonderful swag bag.

And your big old trophy!

Congratulations, Suhani Joshi, on winning the 2026 TowneBank Spelling Bee.

(all applauding) - And what a great spelling bee it was.

Wendy, that was a great 13 rounds.

- It was great.

Yes.

I'm on the edge of my seat the whole time.

- (laughs) I know.

Well, I hope you enjoyed it as much as we did.

Before we go, we'd like to thank our judges and our pronouncers, as well as all the teachers and spelling bee coordinators who helped to make this bee run so seamlessly.

Of course, we also would like to thank our sponsor, TowneBank, all of the parents, Scripps National, and, of course, all of our spelling champions that were here to participate today.

Well, that's it for this year's bee.

Thanks to everyone watching, and we'll see you next year.

(upbeat indie-rock music) - Today's competition was full of anxiety and fear, but, you know, we can persevere.

- On a scale of one to 10, how nervous I was, I'll say a seven out of 10.

- I was probably 10 for nerves.

(laughs) - I think after round two, every time it got to my row, I was just really nervous.

- In the beginning, I was a little nervous, and then after I got comfortable around other people, I started feeling... I think I got a little too cocky at the end.

- I was seeing a lot of people get out on words, and I was kind of, like, spelling it in my mind, and I would, like, spell it, and then they would spell it differently, and then they would get it correct, and I was like, "Oh, wow!

(laughs) I did not spell that right at all."

(laughs) - I was surprised that I knew most of them.

- And I was surprised that I got out on the word "righteous," because I know how to spell that word.

- I know these words, so I just try to trust myself more.

- I just enjoy spelling, and I made a couple new friends, and I got to talk to them during the breaks.

- I mean, of course, I'm really happy.

It's really amazing to be able to win not once, but twice.

And yeah, it's just a thrill.