WASHINGTON D.C. – Bridgeport’s Brett Kuprowicz made a good showing at the Scripps National Spelling Bee’s preliminary round, but missed in the definition portion and was eliminated.
Brett, 14, who will begin his freshman year at Bridgeport High next school year, won the Belmont County Spelling Bee this past February and realized a long-time ambition to compete at the national level.
Spelling under number 174, he took the stage in the preliminary rounds the afternoon of May 27. In Round Two, he correctly spelled “muktuk,” an Aleut word for whale skin used as food, but missed the definition for “declamatory,” which is: “Characterized by rhetorical display.”
Brett was one of only 243 spellers from across the country and beyond who made it to Scripps. Competition was demanding and Brett redoubled practicing in preparation for the bee. On arriving at Washington D.C. with his mother, Jessica, father, Noah, and sister, Hannah during Memorial Day weekend, Brett saw some impressive sights and met the other spellers at the Memorial Day picnic at Nationals Park.
The bee is being held at the Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center. Quarter finals will be 8 a.m.-12:45 p.m. May 28, followed by semifinals 8-10 p.m. that day. Finals will be 8-10 p.m. May 29. Information about the bee and how to watch the competition is on the Scripps site spellingbee.com.
