In the photo above, Ian Mullaney correct spells “tsunami” to claim the win in the 2019 BCSD Spelling Bee. (BCSD photo)
BERKELEY COUNTY, S.C.–Ian Mullaney stepped to the microphone, and the look in his eyes let everyone know he was seconds from winning the 2019 Berkeley County School District Spelling Bee.
“Tsunami” – it was the final word of the bee and a word that Mullaney said gave him no trouble. In fact, Mullaney said the biggest obstacle of this year’s bee wasn’t the words, but his “nerves.”
“It was a little more nerve-racking. The other night, I was not doing too well,” the Daniel Island School 7th-grader said.
Often visible with his arms folded confidently, It’s hard to believe Mullaney would be nervous. After all, last year he finished third in the district bee and ninth in the regional bee.
He admits, he’s done nothing different this time around, but says preparation for what he hopes is a win in the national competition, began four years ago.
“Ultimately, I want to win the whole thing,” he said.
The top 12 finishers in the BCSD bee will compete in the regional bee at Charleston Southern University on March 7. There are listed below in the order they finished.
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