[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 74 (Tuesday, June 7, 2005)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1142]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 CONGRATULATING ALIYA ROBIN DERI'S EXCEPTIONAL SHOWING IN THE SCRIPPS 
                         NATIONAL SPELLING BEE

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                         HON. RICHARD W. POMBO

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, June 7, 2005

  Mr. POMBO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Aliya Robin 
Deri's exceptional showing in the Scripps National Spelling Bee. The 
sharpest young minds in America gathered to compete in this contest 
with 278 students competing in the 78th annual spelling bee. Overcoming 
a litany of complex vocabulary, Aliya tied for second place after 18 
rounds of careful spelling and concentration. A resident of Pleasanton, 
California, Aliya is a champion of many skills. She plays violin, 
viola, and piano and is a member of two orchestras. She also swims 
competitively and also enjoys diving, Indian dance, and Tai Chi. While 
most contestants in the spelling bee were from the United States and 
its territories, fourteen were foreign students from Canada, Bahamas, 
Jamaica and New Zealand. Aliya misspelled ``trouvaille,'' meaning 
windfall, in the 18th round, but I want her to know that our windfall 
is to have such a gifted and talented individual in California's 11th 
Congressional District.
  Mr. Speaker, please join me in congratulating the outstanding efforts 
of this bright and gifted young woman. I would also like to include the 
following article for the record.

               [From the Associated Press, June 2, 2005.]

             Kashyap Spelled ``Appoggiatura'' Right To Win

       Washington.--Bursting into tears, eighth-grader Anurag 
     Kashyap of California became the U.S. spelling champ 
     Thursday, beating 272 other spellers in a tough two days of 
     competition. He said he felt ``just pure happiness.''
       Anurag, 13, of Poway clinched ``appoggiatura,'' a melodic 
     tone, to take home some $30,000 in prizes. He won in the 19th 
     round of the 78th Annual National Scripps Spelling Bee.
       Anurag, a straight-A middle-school student whose favorite 
     subject is science, tied for 47th in last year's spelling 
     bee. That experience ``helped me to know what I should study 
     to . . . like, win this thing,'' he said afterward, 
     repeatedly hiding his face behind his cardboard number.
       Tied for second place were 11-year-old Samir Patel, who is 
     home-schooled in Colleyville, Texas, and Aliya Deri, 13, a 
     Pleasanton, California student.
       Aliya was tripped up in the 18th round by ``trouvaille,'' 
     meaning windfall. Just after, Samir fell to ``Roscian,'' 
     meaning skilled in acting. Two years ago, when Samir tied for 
     third place, bee winner Sai Gunturi predicted that he would 
     be a force to be reckoned with in future contests.
       When the sixth round ended in the early afternoon of the 
     second day, only 27 spellers remained, including a half dozen 
     home-schoolers. Home-schooled students have won twice before, 
     in 1997 and 2000.
       After the 14th round, only three spellers still stood--
     Anurag, Aliya and Samir.
       During the day, Anurag whizzed through relatively easy 
     words such as prosciutto, an Italian dry-cured ham, and more 
     difficult ones like hodiernal, meaning ``of this day.''
       Needing only one more correct spelling to win, he began 
     methodically, going faster and faster as he finished the long 
     word: ``A-P-P-O-G-G-I-A-T-U-R-A.'' He covered his face and 
     rushed to hug his father.
       Most of the contestants at the bee's start were from the 
     United States and its territories, but 14 were foreign 
     students. There were 11 from Canada and one each from the 
     Bahamas, Jamaica and New Zealand.
       It was in the fourth round Wednesday that Dominic Errazo 
     got a word he could relate to, ``emetic,'' which means 
     inducing one to vomit.
       ``It sounds like the nervousness I get up here,'' said the 
     seventh-grader from Goose Creek, SC. He spelled it correctly.
       Each speller wins at least $50. The first-place winner gets 
     $28,000 in cash, scholarships and bonds, plus books from 
     Encyclopedia Britannica. That's about $10,000 more than in 
     previous years.
       The contest is administered by E.W. Scripps Co. The 
     youngsters all won local contests sponsored by newspapers.

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