tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-59371554212204566302024-03-08T18:33:49.953-06:00Anja Beth's blogThe blog of a 7th grade spellerAnja Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04354220607212691011noreply@blogger.comBlogger23125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5937155421220456630.post-71215646317227149182010-06-04T21:43:00.001-05:002010-06-04T21:44:29.275-05:00Well, I tied for 20th, but my friend Elizabeth (#133) tied for 2nd place! She did really well. Anamika Veeramani, here for her 3rd time, won on stomuhr. Congratulations!Anja Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04354220607212691011noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5937155421220456630.post-571240758285478252010-06-04T15:21:00.002-05:002010-06-04T15:24:13.281-05:00I correctly spelled my first word, kanban, in the Semifinals. Unfortunately, I missed my next word, icteritious, which means jaundiced. I tied for 20th place. My friend Elizabeth is still in the competition and will participate in the Championship finals on ABC tonight at 8pm Eastern. I was interviewed this afternoon by WCCO radio, and am being interviewed momentarily by KS95 again. Good luck to all the remaining spellers!Anja Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04354220607212691011noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5937155421220456630.post-35176105547078331942010-06-04T08:21:00.002-05:002010-06-04T08:22:59.541-05:00Radio!!Just finished being interviewed by Greg and Melissa on KS95! It was fun, and they're good spellers too. Hopefully if you live in the MN area, you got to listen in, but if not they might put an audio clip up on their website in the next couple of days. Off to compete in the Semifinals!Anja Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04354220607212691011noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5937155421220456630.post-84576839090379886872010-06-03T19:59:00.001-05:002010-06-03T20:01:14.788-05:00Radio InterviewKS95 will be interviewing me tomorrow at 8:15 am Central Time. If you're able to tune in, I'd appreciate it! The interview will be fairly short- around 3 to 5 minutes.Anja Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04354220607212691011noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5937155421220456630.post-27032214287589524802010-06-03T19:06:00.002-05:002010-06-03T19:13:51.857-05:00AAAAAAAAAAAH!I made the Semifinals!!!!!!! I can't believe it. We just got back from a dinner/logistics meeting, where they explained how the Semifinals work. I found out my written test score this afternoon, and I got 24 out of 25. I also correctly spelled my two oral words, prerogative and Beetewk. They were each worth 3 points, for a total of 30 out of 31. The cutoff was at 27. My friends Sonia, Elizabeth, and Neetu also made the cut. I was happy to see a French word, bouleversement, no the written test. Some other words that were on the test were tocsin, apollyon, and pusillanimous. Today, during the break between rounds, we visited Madame Tussauds wax figure museum, which was very cool. The figures are so realistic! I'm being interviewed again this year by KS95, but I'm not sure exactly when. I'll update when I find out more. You can watch me in the Semifinals at 10am Eastern on ESPN, and the Championship Finals will be broadcast live on ABC starting at 8pm Eastern.Anja Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04354220607212691011noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5937155421220456630.post-44562688645167701012010-06-03T10:54:00.000-05:002010-06-03T10:55:01.021-05:00Round 2Anja Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04354220607212691011noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5937155421220456630.post-23941845663009452402010-06-02T20:03:00.002-05:002010-06-02T20:11:34.496-05:00Test Day!Today was the big test! I'm not allowed to say much, but I think it went fairly well. I guess I'll find out tomorrow! By the way, I made a typo yesterday and said I'd know if I'm in the Semifinals tonight, but it's actually tomorrow.
Today I got interviewed and filmed by ESPN. I'm pretty sure it will air at some point Friday during the Bee, but I'm not sure. I got to sit in a spinning, egg-shaped chair and be in a music video! It was a lot of fun.
After the test, we walked around D.C. We took a tour of the Bureau of Printing and Engraving, which was very interesting. I saw several hundred million dollars! We also visited the Holocaust Museum, which was very, very sad but also interesting. I'll see if I can post some of the pictures I took today.
Tomorrow morning and early afternoon I'll be competing in the preliminaries, and at about 5:30 Eastern they'll announce the Semifinalists. You can watch round 3 of the preliminaries starting at 1:15 on ESPN3.com. I'm close to last in the first group, so I'll be spelling around 2:45 or so Eastern time.
~Anja BethAnja Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04354220607212691011noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5937155421220456630.post-82613758220757492602010-06-01T19:34:00.002-05:002010-06-01T19:42:50.773-05:00D.C.!We're in D.C.! It's a beautiful city. This morning, we were lucky to get a tour of the White House. It's fairly limited, but the rooms that are on the tour are really pretty. They have some amazing paintings. Today was the barbeque for all the spellers and their families. I've met a lot of new people! Tomorrow I have my Round One test (on the computer) at 9:30. That's the biggest part of what lets you qualify for Semifinals. It's 50 words long, but only 25 will count. I won't know my score and won't be allowed to say a word about the test until Wednesday night, after the spoken rounds. I've been studying hard, so hopefully I'll do well. Good luck to all the other spellers taking the test tomorrow!
~Anja Beth
P.S. To my friends in MN- Miss you!Anja Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04354220607212691011noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5937155421220456630.post-86733421800150375692010-05-28T18:36:00.002-05:002010-05-28T18:38:08.598-05:00Almost There!Only 3 days until we leave for the Bee on Monday!! I've been studying hard, especially focusing on French and German, along with the CWL. My dad and I are almost finished going through that again. Thanks to everyone who has wished me luck so far-I really appreciate it!
~Anja BethAnja Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04354220607212691011noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5937155421220456630.post-20717716330187116302010-05-11T19:54:00.002-05:002010-05-11T20:27:55.988-05:00Lots Of News!I've been studying very hard. There only 23 days left until the Bee officially starts! I'm working on the CWL out loud with my dad, and I'm also studying words from languages that have uncommon spelling patterns, such as Hindi, Gaelic, and Russian. I've pretty much memorized Spell-It and the Study Guide for rounds 2 and 3, but I'll go over those one last time right before we leave. I got through the entire list of roots once, and I'm going through them again. They definitely help, especially in spelling words that come from Greek and Latin.
I can hardly wait for the bee. I'm eager to see the friends that will be returning, and also to compete again. I'm hoping to make the cut to Semifinals this year.
Exciting news! The Today Show contacted Scripps and told them that they would like to do a segment on the spelling bee, following one speller through preparation and competition. Scripps decided I'd be a good fit! The reporter will be flying out to Minnesota next week. I don't know precisely when the segment will air, but it won't be until after the spelling bee.
Wishing luck to all the spellers out there,
~Anja BethAnja Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04354220607212691011noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5937155421220456630.post-42158780671610062352010-04-10T12:30:00.002-05:002010-04-10T12:35:28.097-05:00UpdateStudying has been going well! I received a copy of the Study Guide for rounds 2 and 3 from Scripps and have mastered that with help from my dad. Today, I finished the Moderately Used section of the Consolidated Word List, a compilation of all the words used in Scripps National Spelling Bees up to 2004. It totals more than 23,000 words!<div>
</div><div>Our Spring Break trip to Colorado was a lot of fun. I had never skied Copper Mountain before, and they have some really great runs. The view from the top is spectacular. We also had a fun surprise- we ran into a friend of mine and her family! We got to ski with them for a while.</div><div>
</div><div>I'm so excited. Only 55 days until the Bee officially starts! This will be my 3rd trip to Washington D.C. in just over 2 years. We're looking at possible things to do while we're there, so suggestions in the comments are welcome.</div><div>
</div><div>Anja Beth </div>Anja Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04354220607212691011noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5937155421220456630.post-91444007596474558992010-03-27T11:06:00.002-05:002010-03-27T11:09:40.834-05:00Spring Break and Studying<div> It's Spring Break!!! I'll be leaving for Colorado tomorrow.</div><div>
</div><div> Studying is going well. I'm working on word roots and the Consolidated Word List, and I'm going over all the words they used in the later rounds last year. I'm so excited to be going back! We'll leave on May 31st.</div><div>
</div><div> On another note, there was an article about the spelling bee in the Edina SunCurrent yesterday, if you haven't seen it.</div><div>
</div>Anja Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04354220607212691011noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5937155421220456630.post-32706989627936919702010-03-14T11:57:00.001-05:002010-03-14T12:01:12.483-05:00Regional Spelling BeeI won my Regional Spelling Bee yesterday for the 2nd year in a row! I get to go back to Washington D.C. to compete in the National Spelling Bee, thanks to Lockridge Grindal Nauen, the law firm that's sponsoring me. I won on the word "sumo" after the second place boy, Paul, misspelled "fervorous". I'm already studying for Nationals, and one of my friends from last year, Sonia, will be returning as well! Congratulations to all who participated in my Regional bee and good luck to any aspiring spellers out there!<div>Anja Beth</div>Anja Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04354220607212691011noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5937155421220456630.post-79205097358782442442010-01-23T13:42:00.003-06:002010-01-23T13:45:29.331-06:00District Spelling Bee<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';">I had the district spelling bee on Thursday and won! I'm very excited, and my friends did well too. I'll be participating in the Regional Bee again this year on March 13th. Thanks to Lockridge Grindal Nauen for sponsoring the bee again!</span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';">I've been studying a lot. I'm going back through the CWL and studying word roots and Spell-It, as well as a few other lists.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';">Bee season has started or will start very soon for most spellers. Good luck!</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';">Anja Beth</span></div>Anja Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04354220607212691011noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5937155421220456630.post-26883384451509970592009-12-18T20:45:00.004-06:002009-12-18T20:53:50.532-06:00Bee Season has started!<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';">I haven't posted in a long time. Sorry about that! Life has been busy.</span><div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';">Bee season has started! I had my class bee in early November, and then won my school bee on December 2nd. I'll be going to the district bee on January 21st along with 8 other top spellers from my school. I've been studying quite a bit. After finishing the Consolidated Word List last year, I'm going over my circled (difficult) words again, and I've also been studying word roots and going over Spell-It with my dad, my spelling coach. Thanks </span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';">so </span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';">much to him. I would never have gotten as far as I did without his help.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';">I hope to return to Nationals this year. It was an incredible experience last time. Good luck to any aspiring spellers out there!</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';">In other news, we're going to Texas tomorrow and we'll be staying there for Christmas to be with family. I'm excited because it will be warm, compared to the usual 10F here. Brrr!</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';">Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'lucida grande';">Anja Beth</span></div><div>
</div></div>Anja Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04354220607212691011noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5937155421220456630.post-76275692195709625552009-05-28T07:28:00.001-05:002009-05-28T07:30:01.038-05:00Radio InterviewI'm being interviewed live on KS95 today at 8:40 am Eastern! If you're in the Minneapolis/St. Paul area, try to listen!Anja Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04354220607212691011noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5937155421220456630.post-40823863136598653182009-05-27T20:03:00.002-05:002009-05-27T21:41:06.026-05:00SemifinalsWell,, I didn't make it to Semifinals.I was one point below the cut.I got 27, and the cut was 28.The good news is that I can try and come back for two more years, so hopefully I can make it to Nationals and make the Semifinals next year.Good luck to all the remaining spellers!Anja Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04354220607212691011noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5937155421220456630.post-53210464443354708562009-05-27T15:50:00.002-05:002009-05-27T15:53:27.184-05:00Update on scoresI got my two oral words.They were ludicrous and koinonia.I got them both right.I found out how I did on my written test.I got 21 out of 25.My total score is 27 out of 30.I'll find out what the cut score is at 5:45 Eastern.I'll post again to say whether I made it to Semifinals.I'm being interviewed on KS95 radio tomorrow morning at either 8:40 or 9:10 Eastern.I'm ot sure if it's live, but if you live in the Minneapolis/St. Paul area, it might be on then.Anja Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04354220607212691011noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5937155421220456630.post-4635208704114091232009-05-26T08:06:00.002-05:002009-05-26T08:17:13.052-05:00Here I am in D.C.! It's a ton of fun, but REALLY hot.I'm melting.We got to see the White House (from the outside).There were Secret Sevice guys inside the fence with machine guns.DO NOT make them mad.
We also went to Arlington National Cemetery.That was really amazing, albeit the heat. We saw the changing of the guard.Those soldiers stand there in 85 degree heat in long-sleeved shirts and long pants that are black!
I also took a writing class at the Spy Museum with the author of the Gilda Joyce series.That was fun.
Yesterday we went to a speller BBQ at a place called Turkey Run.It was so much fun.They had ice cream and snowcones, and you could play volleyball or baseball and a bunch of other games.
My Round One test is today. It's 50 words, only 25 of which count, but you don't know which 25.You get a point for each word you get right.Then, tomorrow, I'll have two oral spelling rounds.You get three points for each of those two words.At the end, they add up your total score (max is 31) and make a cut to the top 50 scorers.
I've met a bunch of really nice people.They give you this book called the Bee Keeper.It has a page for each speller and staff member, and you try to get everyone to sign yours.So far, I have 151 spellers and 6 staff.I'm halfway there!Anja Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04354220607212691011noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5937155421220456630.post-29351232113234369252009-05-22T21:13:00.003-05:002009-05-22T21:15:25.289-05:00Leaving Tomorrow!I'm leaving tomorrow! I'm so excited. I went to get my nails done today, and when I came home, my friends came running and screaming out of the backyard. They had put up signs with hard words all over the front yard.It was a COMPLETE surprise. They kept it a secret for weeks!We had ice-cream sundaes, too.It was a ton of fun.I can't wait for tomorrow!Anja Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04354220607212691011noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5937155421220456630.post-54351832727033099372009-05-10T18:56:00.002-05:002009-05-10T18:59:16.370-05:00Studying UpdateI'm getting very excited. We leave for D.C. two weeks from yesterday. I am up to "O" in the Moderate section of The Consolidated Word List, and my dad has been quizzing me orally. I'm very excited to meet all the other spellers from around the country.Anja Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04354220607212691011noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5937155421220456630.post-74390035961670254362009-05-02T20:44:00.002-05:002009-05-02T20:54:24.994-05:00StudyingI've been studying the Consolidated Woird List, which is a list of all the words used in previous National Spelling Bees.I've gottem through the "Frequent" ones and am on the "B" words in the "Moderate" section.I've also been studying the Merriam-Webster Dictionary of Prefixes and Suffixes, which helps with root words.I'm getting very excited.We leave in less than a month!<div><div>Thanks very much to Lockridge Grindal Nauen for sponsoring my trip to D.C. </div></div>Anja Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04354220607212691011noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5937155421220456630.post-87861441017352324802009-04-14T18:14:00.002-05:002009-04-14T18:16:54.918-05:00IntroductionHi, I'm Anja Beth.I'm a 6th grader, and I'm going to the National Spelling Bee!In the future, I'll post things about my life, my friends and preparing for the Bee.Anja Bethhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04354220607212691011noreply@blogger.com0