Countdown To The 2013 Regional Spelling Bee

Posted: February 25, 2013

William Daniel

Sydney Haney

Editor’s Note: This is the seventh and eighth of 20 stories profiling the contestants in the 2013 Regional Spelling Bee sponsored by the Rockingham District Ruritans and co-sponsored by the Daily News-Record and public television station WVPT. The bee will be held at the WVPT studios in Harrisonburg on March 2. Each day, we will introduce the spellers competing for a spot in this year’s Scripps National Spelling Bee in Washington, D.C.

William Daniel

School: Thomas Harrison Middle

Grade: Sixth

Age: 11

Born in: Harrisonburg

Currently lives in: Harrisonburg

Parents: Janet Daniel and Ronn Daniel

Winning word or, if runner-up, misspelled word, in district bee: Semantics (misspelled “sumantics” in district bee.)

Favorite subject: Science. “Because we learn about stuff I don’t already know and we do a lot of hands-on learning.”

Career goals: “Most likely an astrophysicist. It intrigues me to learn about the mysteries of the universe.”

Hobbies: “I like reading, playing outside sports with my friends, playing on my Xbox, and playing computer games.”

Favorite book or author: “My favorite author has to be Anthony Horowitz,” a writer for television, screen and the theater, and of children’s books.

Spelling secrets: “First of all, I try to write out the word in my head. If I still don’t know how to spell it by then, I try to break it down into syllables and spell each one.”

Interesting facts: “This is my first time competing in a spelling bee. On my second year in swim team, I improved my 50-meter freestyle time by eight seconds. I have earned a black belt in American Freestyle Karate.”

Anything else you’d like to say to DN-R readers: “Even when you think you can’t win, just try. You will never win if you don’t try.”

Sydney Haney

School: Elkton Middle

Grade: Sixth

Age: 11

Born in: Elkton

Currently lives in: Elkton

Parents: Valerie and Ronald Haney

Favorite Subject: Science. “I love doing experiments and figuring out how things work.”

Career Goals: Spelunker. “I would like to be a spelunker so I could explore beyond the normal guided cavern tours.”

Hobbies: Fishing, hiking, basketball, swimming and geocaching.

Favorite book or author: “The Mysterious Benedict Society” by Trenton Lee Stewart.

Spelling Secrets: If I am having trouble with a word, I try to sound it out in my head the way it looks, even though that [might not be] the way it is pronounced.”

Interesting Facts: “I love to collect flashlights and survival gear.”