TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) – Over 500 students are participating in this year’s Scripps National Spelling Bee competition in Maryland. However, seven of them are representing the Tampa Bay area.
Our local spellers range from ages 10 to 14 and from areas such as Lakeland to Largo.
Here are our seven local spellers:
- Dev Shah, 10 years old, is from Largo, Florida, and is a fourth grader at Ridgecrest Elementary School. He is speller No. 12.
- Arsh Shah, 13 years old, is from Palm Harbor, Florida, and is a seventh grader at Dunedin Highland Middle School. He is speller No. 29.
- Neil Dave, 13 years old, is from Lakeland, Florida, and is an eighth grader at Lakeland Christian School. He is speller No. 86.
- Anish Tejomurtula, 13 years old, is from Palm Harbor, Florida, and is an eighth grader at Dunedin Highland Middle School. He is speller No. 90.
- David De Coursy, 13 years old, is from Clearwater Beach, Florida, and is a seventh grader at Berkeley Preparatory School. He is speller No. 164.
- Maryclare Nestor, 13 years old, is from Oldsmar, Florida, and is a sixth grader at Espiritu Santo Catholic School. She is speller No. 166.
- Karina Montoya, 14 years old, is from Land O’ Lakes, Florida, and is an eighth grader at Odessa Christian School. She is speller No. 222.
18 other spellers are also representing Florida.
The spelling competition will continue through Thursday.