Aditya “Adi” Vaidya

WARSAW — A sixth grader at Harrison Elementary was runner-up in the Journal Gazette’s 63rd Annual Regional Spelling Bee.

The spelling bee was held Saturday, March 11 at IPRW’s Rhinehart Music Center. Sixth grader Aditya “Adi” Vaidya placed second of 17 top spellers from northeast Indiana and northwest Ohio. The students in the spelling bee ranged from fifth to seventh grade representing 15 counties.

In order to be eligible for regionals, Adi first had to got through the school and county spelling bee. To prepare for the regional spelling bee, Adi said he practiced spelling words for 90 minutes each day for a month. The sixth grader used spelling packets from the school and county spelling bee to practice. He also used a spelling website to help him practice.

An improved vocabulary isn’t the only skill Adi has gained as a result of the spelling bees. The runner-up said through his experiences he has “Overcome stage fear.”

Adi is originally from Karnataka, India. His family moved to Indiana in 2015 when his dad, who works for Zimmer-Biomet, was transferred here.

The sixth grader is looking forward to participating in spelling bees in the coming years. Adi said he would like to keep doing spelling bees up until he is in eighth grade, the maximum age students can participate.

Una VanWynsberghe, a seventh grader from Lincolnview Junior High School in Van Wert County, Ohio, won the spelling bee. She will represent The Journal Gazette and STAR Financial Bank at the 90th Annual Scripps National Spelling Bee in Washington D.C. this May.