QUEEN OF THE BEE STRIVING FOR PERFECTION SPELLING CHAMPION WINS AGAIN.Byline: Brent Hopkins Staff Writer WOODLAND HILLS - As Mariam Firunts took home top honors once again on Saturday in the 16th annual Daily News Regional Spelling Bee spelling bee n. A contest in which competitors are eliminated as they fail to spell a given word correctly. Also called spelldown. Noun 1. , her face turned a bright shade of gules gules n. Heraldry The color red, indicated on a blazon by vertical lines. [Middle English goules, from Old French, red fur neckpiece, pl. . She was probably the only one in the Taft High School auditorium who knew how to spell the 14th-century Middle English Middle English Vernacular spoken and written in England c. 1100–1500, the descendant of Old English and the ancestor of Modern English. It can be divided into three periods: Early, Central, and Late. word meaning the heraldic he·ral·dic adj. Of or relating to heralds or heraldry. he·ral  di·cal·ly adv.Adj. 1. color red. Rising to the top of an extremely tough field of 35, the 13-year-old Glendale resident correctly strung the right letters together. Although Firunts roared through the competition with a mastery of complex terms, it was simple ones that best conveyed her emotions afterward. ``It's great,'' she said, smiling triumphantly. ``But I couldn't have done it without the help of my mother, stepfather and everyone at my school.'' The precocious pre·co·cious adj. Showing unusually early development or maturity. pre·coc ity , pre·co eighth-grader at Glendale's E.J. Toll Middle
School is no stranger to the pressures of competition.
After winning the regional crown last year, she represented the Daily News in the Scripps Howard National Spelling Bee, finishing in the top 100. After a year of careful coaching from mother Sona Hakopian and stepfather David Arzumanyan, she still has the polished, ice-cool demeanor that propelled her to the top. Firunts and second-place finisher Saro Oknaian, a 13-year-old eighth- grader at Agbu Manoogian-Demirdjian School AGBU Manoogian-Demirdjian School is an Armenian-American private school located in Winnetka, Los Angeles, California, USA. It is financed and run by the Armenian General Benevolent Union. With 947 students, it is the largest Armenian private school in the Greater Los Angeles area. , battled it out one-on-one for eight rounds. Oknaian, who will now serve as an alternate for the competition and took home a Merriam Webster dictionary among other prizes, was modest after advancing so far. ``It's an honor to be in that position,'' the Van Nuys resident said following the showdown. ``Though I could have done better, with this experience I hope I can win next year.'' The competition had its share of courageous champions, as well. Rita Astoor, a 12-year-old seventh-grader at Chamlian Armenian School Chamlian Armenian school is an Armenian elementary school in Glendale, California. Chamlian Armenian School teaches grades from 1 through 8. The classes are taught in English except for the Armenian Language, Armenian History, and Religion classes. It is located on 4444 Lowell Ave. in Glendale, pulled a sixth-place finish, all while carrying the emotional weight of her grandmother's death last Monday. ``I had to work hard last week,'' she said, proud of her high place. Also in the top tiers were Kunal Patel, Johan Tatoy and Chadwick Santiago, who finished fifth through third, respectively. CAPTION(S): 3 photos Photo: (1 -- 3) 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. Mariam Firunts, top, gets a hug from her mom, Sona Hakopian, after winning the Daily News Regional Spelling Bee on Saturday. Above, the final two contestants face the audience at Taft High School. Left, second-place winner Saro Oknaian reacts after finally missing a word during the contest. Phil McCarten/Staff Photographer |
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