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Local speller advances to Quarterfinals of Scripps National Spelling Bee

Emaan Arshad.jpg
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KANSAS CITY, Mo. — A Kansas City-area speller has advanced to the quarterfinals of the Scripps National Spelling Bee.

Emaan Arshad, 14, from Plaza Middle School in the Park Hill School District advanced after a day of virtual competition Saturday.

Emaan correctly spelled her first word, "hummock," and then correctly answered that surrogate also means substitute.

She earned the right to move on by then correctly spelling "gastrodermis."

Three other local spellers also competed well and were advancing, but were eventually tripped up with some tough words.

Drew Clawson, 13, of Independence, correctly spelled "amphistlar," and correctly answered that "arduous" means difficult (like the spelling bee), but he then stumbled on "micellar."

Garrett Li, 13, of Olathe, correctly spelled "nitid," and correctly answered that a "dromedary" is a camel, but missed "architectonics" and was knocked out.

Mac Northcraft of Peculiar, (the youngest local speller at 11) stumbled on his first word, "etouffee."

Arshad now moves on to compete in the Quarterfinal round on June 15 on ESPN3.