June 1, 2009
Judge Tom
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Can you spell “laodicean” – or pronounce it?

This was the winning word in the 2009 Scripps National Spelling Bee in Washington, D.C. last week. The competition is sometimes referred to as the Super Bowl of spelling. “Laodicean” means lukewarm or indifferent in politics or religion.

13-year-old Kavya Shivashankar from Olathe, Kansas took first place in the contest. This was the 8th-grader’s fourth appearance at the Spelling Bee. She took home $40,000.00 in scholarship money and prizes plus the beautiful first-place trophy.  Kavya wants to be a neurosurgeon.

Kavya, from BBC News

This year, 293 kids made it to the nationals [51% were boys]. Participants in the competition have to be under 16 and not yet in high school. [Photo from BBC News]

Congratulations,  Kavya.                             

Aside:   It is reported that Jane Austen (1775-1817), although a great novelist and social commentator, was a poor speller.  She wrote Pride and Prejudice, Sense and Sensibilities, Emma and other works.

Judge Tom

The Author Judge Tom

Judge Tom is the founder and moderator of AsktheJudge.info. He is a retired juvenile judge and spent 23 years on the bench. He has written several books for lawyers and judges as well as teens and parents including 'Teen Cyberbullying Investigated' (Free Spirit Publishing) and 'Every Vote Matters: the Power of Your Voice, from Student Elections to the Supreme Court' (Free Spirit Publishing). In 2020, the American Bar Association published "Cyberbullying Law," the nation's first case-law book written for lawyers, judges and law students. When he's not answering teens' questions, Judge Tom volunteers with the American Red Cross and can be found hiking, traveling and reading.

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