The Sun News
Tuesday was a joyous day for 13-year-old Hindy Naparstek.
After nine rounds, the Chabad Academy student won The Sun News' 18th annual Regional Spelling Bee held at Myrtle Beach High School Music and Art Center.
Afterward she was nearly speechless about her win on Purim, a Jewish holiday.
"I was nervous. I didn't think I would win," said Hindy. She correctly spelled Mediterranean to win after two final rounds, which were held because the finalists did not correctly spell their last words.
Hindy, who advances to the Scripps Howard National Spelling Bee set for the end of May, competed against 53 other top spellers from Horry and Georgetown counties including last year's winner, Morgan Gilliam.
Morgan, who was 9 last year, was the youngest child to compete for the first time in a national bee. On Tuesday, she was knocked out during round 4 by the word calefactory, which means producing heat. Morgan offered some advice to Hindy when she represents the area at the national bee in Washington, D.C.
"The main thing is to take your time, think about the word, say it in your head, and you should always ask for a definition or sentence even if it's the word cat," Morgan said after Tuesday's contest.
Hindy's family crowded around her in celebration after her victory Tuesday.
"We feel like it was the day that gave her all her steam because it was the day of the year," her mother, Chanie Naparstek said. Tuesday was the Jewish holiday Purim, which commemorates a time when the Jewish people living in Persia were saved from extermination.
Cody Browne from Lakewood Elementary School almost won the competition but misspelled the word clavicle in the final round. The competition then reverted back to the final three, which included Cody, Hindy and Stephen Earnest from Carolina Forest Elementary School, before Hindy won.
A grievance regarding the pronunciation of the word oratorio was filed after round six, but the judges overruled it and proceeded with the competition. The pressure and intensity of the competition got the better of some students who cried when greeted by their parents afterward.
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