Super Speller
By Guest
GMS student Avika Shukla competes at the Mass. Spelling Bee Regionals in Lynn.
By Darcie Fisher
Galvin Middle Schooler Avika Shukla proved that she knows how to S-P-E-L-L at the 39th annual Item Scripps National Spelling Bee Eastern Massachusetts Regional. The event took place at Lynn’s Veterans Memorial City Hall Auditorium, where Shukla finished second in a fiercely contested battle among the state’s top spellers.
The final competition went 25 rounds, with Shukla and the eventual winner, Ardash Venkannagari of Gates Elementary School in Acton, going head-to-head for an astounding 18 rounds before Venkannagari was declared the winner — correctly spelling the word cacology.
The competition was judged by Amanda Lurey of Lynn’s daily newspaper, The Daily Item, along with retired longtime Item Sports Editor Steve Krause and 2022 regional spelling champion Saketh Madhusudhan.
“What an incredible accomplishment by Avika,” said GMS Principal Jonathan Mulhern. “To show such poise at such a young age and under the pressure of being on that stage speaks to her maturity and intellect. All of us at Galvin are so proud of her.”
More than 5,000 students from nearly 100 schools across the commonwealth participated in this year’s spelling bee program. Venkannagari, a three-time regional champion, will now move on to compete at the Scripps National Spelling Bee in Washington, D.C., in May.
Short URL: https://www.thecantoncitizen.com/?p=131258
Posted by Guest
on Mar 27 2025. Filed under Featured story.
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