SunRidge Middle School student places top three in Scripps Spelling Bee

Nathan Crabbendam, an eighth-grader at the school, completed 23 intense rounds of spelling prowess.

By Annabelle Sikes
| 10:33 a.m. March 13, 2024

West Orange Times & Observer
News

SunRidge Middle School student Nathan Crabbendam has placed top three in the inaugural regional Scripps Spelling Bee hosted Saturday, March 9, at Walt Disney World Resort.

The district-wide competition, hosted by the Foundation for OCPS, showcased the remarkable talents of 24 student finalists who captivated the audience with their linguistic dexterity.

Students from Orange County Public Schools competed in 23 intense rounds of spelling prowess, with three students coming out on top: Nathan; Elvis Avetis, Discovery Middle School; and Velvizhi Sethirayar, Orlando Gifted Academy.

"The Scripps Spelling Bee has been an incredible platform for our students to showcase their talents and dedication," said Nancy Golden, OCPS program specialist, K-12 academic competitions. "We are immensely proud of all the participants who demonstrated their linguistic skills and determination throughout the competition."

The three finalists will represent OCPS as they compete against the nation's finest young wordsmiths from May 26 through June 1 in Washington, D.C. Disney is helping to fund the expenses of the trip for the students.

"I feel excited," Nathan said. "I'm going to Washington. It's insane. ... Just keep trying. You'll eventually get it."

author

Annabelle Sikes

News Editor Annabelle Sikes was born in Boca Raton and moved to Orlando in 2018 to attend the University of Central Florida. She graduated from UCF in May 2021 with a bachelor’s degree in journalism and a minor in sociology. Her past journalism experiences include serving as a web producer at the Orlando Sentinel, a reporter at The Community Paper, managing editor for NSM Today, digital manager at Centric Magazine and as an intern for the Orlando Weekly.