Mouctika Paluri, a 12-year-old student at Creek Valley Middle School in Carrolton, trumped two-time defending champion Amy Chyao, a 13-year-old from Richardson, Saturday at the 50th-Annual Dallas Morning News Regional Spelling Bee.Mouctika, an India native who learned to speak English only seven years ago, out-spelled 30 other competitors (who advanced to the spelling bee after winning their school and county competitions) — but not without several dramatic pauses.
When it came down to Mouctika and Amy, both girls misspelled the word "passado." When Amy incorrectly spelled "statolatry," Mouctika stepped into the lead with the correct spelling. Then a challenge: Amy argued the competition's pronouncer failed to provide a second pronunciation of the word. Judges overruled her challenge, and Mouctika moved on to correctly spell the word "masseter" — winning the competition.
After winning the nail-biting regional spelling bee, Mouctika will represent North and East Texas in May at the Scripps National Spelling Bee in Washington, D.C.
If you want to try your hand at spelling some of the words used in the national competition, check out Merriam-Webster's tool for kids: Spell It! And be sure cheer on Mouctika in May!
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