News
Corona Seventh Grader Advances to Third Round of National Spelling Bee
CORONA (CNS) – A seventh-grader from Corona advanced to the third round of the Scripps National Spelling Bee Tuesday, following in the footsteps of his two older sisters.
Avijeet S. Randhawa correctly spelled cacaxte, a square wooden packing frame or crate that has four legs and a net cover and is carried on the back, especially by Guatemalan Indians with the help of a tumpline, according to the Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary, the bee’s official dictionary.
The Auburndale Intermediate School student then correctly answered his multiple-choice word meaning question, “An osteopath is a type of:” correctly selecting medical practitioner.
The third round is scheduled to begin at 1:25 p.m. Pacific Daylight Time. Avijeet will be the eighth speller to compete.
The competition at the Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center in National Harbor, Maryland is being streamed on spellingbee.com, ION Plus and Bounce XL.
The quarterfinals and semifinals will be held Wednesday and the finals Thursday.
Avijeet qualified for the national bee by winning by the Riverside County bee, correctly spelling forbs, a plant species, as the final word.
Avijeet’s sister Aisha competed in the national bee from 2016-19, tying for seventh in the 2018 bee. His sister Lara was among 10 spellers tying for 13th in 2022 and reached the quarterfinals in 2021.
“Seeing how much my sisters learned motivated me” to compete in spelling bees, Avijeet told City News Service in an email interview. “It helps teach good study habits, handling stress and nerves and increases my writing skills and reading comprehension.”
Avijeet began his spelling bee career by finishing second behind Lara in the 2022 Corona-Norco Unified School District Bee.
Avijeet said his sisters “have been extremely helpful teaching me language patterns and roots and to stay in the moment using my process when spelling on stage.”
Avijeet said his goal is “to get as far as I can and if that’s winning, then great, but mainly it was to study words as much as I could over the past six weeks (since my regional bee) and that I feel good about.”
Avijeet said he prepared for the bee by studying “Words of the Champions,” the national bee’s official study resource, using the website SpellPundit and being quizzed by Lara.
Avijeet said Monday he has “been fighting a cold and had a fever” until Sunday.
The bee began with a field of 231 spellers from all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Canada, the Bahamas, Germany and Ghana.
The winner will receive $50,000 from the Scripps National Spelling Bee, $2,500 and a reference library from the dictionary publisher Merriam- Webster and $400 in reference works from Encyclopedia Britannica and a three- year membership to Britannica Online Premium.
A speller from Riverside County has never won the bee.
Copyright 2023, City News Service, Inc.
By: Pristine Villarreal
May 30, 2023
Latest Instagram Posts
Who makes the NBC Top 3, winner will be announced Sunday night on NBC Palm Springs, with the player who makes the number one spot winning a $250 prize from @hondaofthedesert! Comment below if it will be 1) Cael Woody with the dot under pressure, 2) Tatum Webster with the pass breakup, 3) Ivan Garza with the rushing TD, 4) Sean Meza with the toe tap, or 5) Jesus. Valenzuela with the strong hands #fypage #fridaynightlights #top3 #hondaofthedesert
Me On A Plate is back! We head over to @tacquila_ps to talk to chef David Arreguin about his love of spice, being the seventh of nine children, and his drive to always follow his passion. Check it out now on our website nbcpalmsprings.com
Nearly a year after wildfires tore through Mountain Center, the scars are still visible along the Palms to Pines Highway. Now, fire crews are working to repair those burn areas and reduce the risk of flooding, erosion and mudslides when heavy rain arrives. The work includes fire-line suppression repairs, water bars and other measures designed to slow rainwater and keep burned soil from washing away. CAL FIRE Riverside County Battalion Chief Ryan Lubin says the steep terrain, dry brush and limited access continue to create challenges for mountain communities. With El Niño conditions expected to bring periods of heavy rain, officials say preparing now could help protect homes and communities from the aftermath of wildfire. The message from firefighters: preparation can save lives. Read the full story at NBCPalmSprings.com. #MountainCenter #Highway74 #PalmsToPines #CALFIRE #Wildfire WildfireRecovery FireSafety CoachellaValley SanJacintoMountains
Gas prices in Riverside County are climbing toward $6 a gallon — and that’s more than $1 higher than this time last year. A 15-gallon fill-up now costs about $86, leaving many drivers wondering how much longer they can absorb the rising cost. On this week’s Roggin Report, Fred Roggin and the panel debate how expensive gas is changing the way people travel, work and live — and why prices are so much higher here. Watch the full conversation at NBCPalmSprings.com. #RogginReport #FredRoggin #GasPrices #RiversideCounty #CoachellaValley
As the Lindsay Clancy trial begins to close, discussions regarding postpartum mental health and postpartum care have began to draw attention to the level of care needed after childbirth. Maria Noble Valdez looked at this discussion locally with a mental health expert and mom here in Coachella Valley. #lindsayclancytrial #pospartum #mentalhealth #760 #nationalnews
EVEN PARKING HAS A VIP SECTION? A mall in Bakersfield is charging shoppers up to $10 a day for preferred parking spots closer to the entrance. So we had to ask: Would you pay for a better parking spot? And could paid parking eventually come to Valley malls? Fred Roggin and the panel weigh in on this week’s Roggin Report. Would you pay $10 for a prime parking spot? #RogginReport #FredRoggin #CoachellaValley #PalmSprings #Parking
📞 Call 760.466.0800 or visit DAPHealth.org to schedule your appointment today! Flu viruses change every year, and getting vaccinated is the best way to strengthen your immune system, lower the risk of severe illness or hospitalization, and protect your loved ones. Sponsored by: DAP Health
A wedding day they’ll never forget. 💍🌊 A couple in the Philippines refused to let monsoon flooding wash away their special day — exchanging vows while standing waist-deep in floodwaters. Talk about making a splash on your wedding day! #WeddingDay #Philippines #Flooding #Monsoon #Wedding #Love #NBCPalmSprings
Idyllwild’s Mayor Max III is turning four! Yes, you read that right — Idyllwild has a canine mayor, and Mayor Maximus Mighty-Dog Mueller III is celebrating his fourth birthday this week. Max is part of a tradition that began in 2012, when the mountain community first elected a dog as mayor. His “campaign donations”? Belly rubs and dog treats. Mayor Max’s birthday celebration is happening Saturday, September 5, at Mountain Paws in Idyllwild, and the community is invited. Come celebrate the mayor — and maybe bring a treat. #NBCPalmSprings #Idyllwild #MayorMax #MayorMaxIII #PalmSprings CoachellaValley DogsOfInstagram DogMayor CaliforniaNews
☕️ Social Time with Thalia & Jerry