Clark County seventh-grader wins Nevada Spelling Bee

Thirty-one little pairs of dress shoes tapped nervously onstage.

Students heaved sighs of relief and disappointment as they got their respective words right or wrong, and hugs were plentiful among the crowd.

And though many of the children had studied for months, endlessly memorizing words and understanding linguistic origins, few tears were shed as they left the stage one by one at Saturday’s Nevada State Spelling Bee, sponsored by the Las Vegas Review-Journal, at the Summerlin Library theater.

But as Amna Raza stepped off the stage and into her mother’s arms, she wiped the tears that flowed freely from her eyes. Only they were not tears of sadness.

Raza, a seventh-grade Clark County student from Omar Haikal Islamic Academy, won the bee with the word “efficacy,” which means effectiveness. That allows her to represent Nevada at the annual Scripps National Spelling Bee in Washington, D.C.

“I’m so happy because I really tried,” Raza said through a big smile and tears. “I didn’t expect it, but it’s wonderful. I’m so happy.”

Raza’s mother, Nureen, hugged her daughter closely and with pride.

“I can’t even express how proud I am,” she said. “This is just the biggest day.”

Tazreean Ahmed, a Clark County seventh-grader at Lone Mountain Challenger School, took second place and is the runner-up for the finals in Washington.

“I look forward to this every year,” said Kendall Tenney, the official spelling bee announcer for the past eight years. “When they’re up there I feel the anxiety and pressure they are feeling. When they’re up there debating if it’s a ‘z’ or an ‘s,’ I’m dying inside for them.”

But for parents, judges and even the students, the competition is about more than simply winning.

“This is such a good experience for them,” said Kaylene Hunt, mother of one of the participants. “It’s so good for them to spell words out and be able to speak in front of the audience. No matter what happens, we’re proud of her. She’s done awesome. They all have.”

Contact reporter Tara Verderosa at
tverderosa@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0264.