USA, June 21, 2008: The spelling contest is a big event in the US. Children study hard for months and have to get through regional contests to make the final. Children of South Asian origin dominated the top 10 spots in the gruelling competition this year.
The second prize was bagged by Sidharth Chand, 12, of Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, while Kavya Shivashankar, 12, of Olathe, Kansas, tied for fourth place. Over the years many children of South Asian origin have left their mark at the spelling event, but why do they dominate it?
Chicago-based Dr Balu Natarajan, who won the Spelling Bee in 1985 and was a judge at this year’s contest, says there is one common thread – extensive involvement and support from family.
Parents help by finding word lists, looking up definitions and pronunciations and quizzing. Some even took days off work in order to help children prepare.
Rahul Walia, CEO of New Jersey-based Touchdown Media, attributes the success of South Asian spellers to their roots. “Our parents tend to be more focused on a child’s education. Participating in such competitions is seen as an opportunity to enhance those skills,” he said.