LETTER PERFECT SPELLING CHAMP HEADS TO D.C.Byline: Susan Abram Staff Writer SANTA CLARITA Santa Clarita, city (1990 pop. 110,642), Los Angeles co., S Calif., suburb 30 mi (48 km) NW of downtown Los Angeles, on the Santa Clara River; inc. 1987. Situated in the Santa Clara valley and nearby canyons, Santa Clarita includes the former towns of Canyon Country, - Sometimes, Sean Sabino has to bite his tongue. When you're a champion speller spell·er n. 1. One who spells words: students who are good spellers. 2. An elementary textbook containing exercises that teach spelling. Noun 1. , and you know big words like ``septendecimal'' and ``anhydrous an·hy·drous adj. Without water, especially water of crystallization. anhydrous (anhī´drus), adj without water. anhydrous containing no water. ,'' you risk alienation. ``I try to keep it fairly subdued around my peers,'' admitted Sean, a 13-year-old Valencia resident named valedictorian for promotion ceremonies at Pinecrest School in Woodland Hills. But this week, Sean will let the words and letters flow. He's been invited to travel to Washington, D.C., to compete in the Scripps Howard National Spelling Bee, which began Sunday and ends Friday. In March, Sean spelled ``affidavit'' and ``strophic'' correctly to win first place among 49 other local spellers in the 18th annual Daily News Regional Spelling Bee, where he took home a $100 savings bond Savings bond A government bond issued in face value denominations from $50 to $10,000, with local and state tax-free interest and semiannually adjusted interest rates. savings bond A nonmarketable security issued by the U.S. , a gold medal, an engraved en·grave tr.v. en·graved, en·grav·ing, en·graves 1. To carve, cut, or etch into a material: engraved the champion's name on the trophy. 2. pen set, T-shirts, movie passes and a DVD DVD: see digital versatile disc. DVD in full digital video disc or digital versatile disc Type of optical disc. The DVD represents the second generation of compact-disc (CD) technology. of ``Spellbound,'' a documentary about the national spelling bee. ``My husband and I sat there, and like every word they gave him, we were like, 'Oh, no, he's not going to spell that,''' his mom, Mel Sabino, said. ``Sean feels that he's just going to do his best. He should do whatever he can. If things don't work out, we're equally proud of him.'' There's no real secret to being a good speller, Sean said. He just focuses on the word. To prepare for the national competition, Sean's English teacher, Blanche Roberts, spent 30 minutes a day, three days a week, using the dictionary to test him. Sean has an edge in taking center stage to spell. He's a member of the International Thespian Society The International Thespian Society is an honorary organization for high-school and middle-school theatre students located at more than 3,600 affiliated secondary schools across America, Canada, and abroad. The mission of ITS is to honor student excellence in the theatre arts. . He loves to sing and perform on stage, taking the lead in some of his school's productions. He plays piano and the trumpet, and already performs with the Notre Dame High School Notre Dame is the name of the following high (secondary) schools: Bangladesh
One day, he hopes to be a surgeon or a scientist, with an emphasis on genetics. ``I just want people to know there is more to me than the academic side,'' he said. ``I'd like to be seen as well-rounded.'' Susan Abram, (661) 257-5257 susan.abram(at)dailynews.com CAPTION(S): 2 photos Photo: (1 -- color in SAC edition only -- ran in Valley and SAC editions only) Sean Sabino, 13, of Pinecrest School took first place in the 18th annual Daily News Regional Spelling Bee in March against 49 other spellers. (2 -- ran in SAC edition only) Sean Sabino, 13, of Pinecrest School took first place in the 18th annual Daily News Regional Spelling Bee in March against 49 other spellers. David Crane/Staff Photographer |
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