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This is a time of year to recognize a lot of accomplishments. There are sports awards. And all-star teams. Runs through Spring Fling for schools in several different divisions. End of the school recognitions. From top averages in individual classes to service time to courage in athletics. But here’s a shout-out to Farmington Elementary student Josh Verma. While other students were collecting their awards, Josh was spitting out words — letter for letter — that most of us can’t even pronounce. Much less, spell. Josh made it to the Scripps National Spelling Bee for the third straight year. That, in itself, is quite an accomplishment. He was eliminated in the quarterfinals this week, tripped up on the word “samovar.” He spelled it samIvar. One dang letter dashed his hopes. But do other competitions face the same fate? If the batter checks his swing, or a fielder muffs a ground ball, they aren’t eliminated from the competition. The shortstop isn’t eliminated from the game or even the tournament. Miss a free throw? You get another chance on a two-shot foul. Or later in the game when you are hacked again. Nope, Josh was on a one-shot situation where if you are wrong, just once, just one letter, it is the end of your season. A regular “wait-til-next-year” situation. This ain’t no seven-game series or golf match where you are still in contention after you shank a drive or develop the yips on a gimme putt. This is sudden death. Miss it and you’re done. So, don’t think Josh doesn’t face the pressure of the moment. And that’s not even considering the (heck I don’t know how many) words he has to memorize. And remember. And recite. Within seconds of hearing the word. And those words Josh is asked to spell? They aren’t D-O-G. Or C-A-T. Heck, no. These are words most of us have never even heard. Words like mallophagan Uredinium Jatrorrhiza. Even spell check says that version is wrong. But I checked it. And the 12-year-old speller from Houston, Texas, got it right to get to the finals. Those were the types of words that challenged spellers in the competition. My colleague Jody Callahan recounted Josh’s journey to the national bee, including his unfortunate elimination in a tie for 79th place. But as Jody mentioned, Josh is only in the fifth grade. He has three more years to earn a spot in the national competition. But in Jody’s original account of the 11-year-old’s climb to the top of the local ladder, Josh earned my respect. He spelled pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanoconiosis – 45 letters. Spelled out in correct order. The longest word in the competition. No. I didn’t spell it myself. I copy-and-pasted it from Jody’s story. I sure hope Jody got it right. Because I’m sure Josh did. — Suburbs editor, Clay Bailey
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Josh Verma’s quest to win the Scripps National Spelling Bee has come to an end.
By Jody Callahan
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