Murrieta Girl to Compete in National Spelling Bee

Passing up birthday party invites and sacrificing her social life, 14-year-old Shruti Amin of Murrieta has been spending the last two months gearing up to compete in the 2012 Scripps National Spelling Bee.

May 30-31, Shruti will go head-to-head against 276 other spellers from around the country and globe at Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center in National Harbor, Md., just outside Washington, D.C.

The first round is a computer test of 50 undisclosed words, 25 of which spellers will be scored on.

Rounds two and three will be streamed beginning at 8 a.m. Eastern time May 30 on ESPN3.com.

Scores from rounds one through three will determine who goes on to the semi-finals, to be aired on ESPN2 beginning at 10 a.m. Eastern time May 31. Spellers are eliminated from semi-finals once they misspell.

The championship round will air on ESPN starting at 8 p.m. Eastern time May 31.

Shruti has admittedly been preparing for the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for the three years. During the two months since , Shruti has spent at least three hours a day memorizing a list of 1,500 words—this of course, after the eighth-grader is finished with her other daily studies.

"It is always in the back of my mind. I never get bored with it. I love reading where words come from and the origin," Shruti said, noting her least favorite is German and her favorite is Greek.

"There's always a 'ph' in Greek," she said, which is not so with German, making it trickier.

This was the last year that grade-wise, Shruti was eligible to compete in bees. Making it to the national bee was something she has had her sights set on since competing in the Murrieta Valley Unified School District Spelling Bee several years in a row.

The family has watched the national bee together for years, pausing the TV to allow Shruti to spell the words. During summer trips to India, Shruti always brought her word list along.

"It was a fun thing at first and then she got into it and it became her dream to compete in the national spelling bee," said Shruti's mother, Sejal Amin. "It is gutsy and takes so much hard work."

Shruti placed seventh in the district bee as a fourth-grader. In fifth grade, she placed second, and in sixth, seventh and eighth grades, she won the bee. Oftentimes, to claim first place in district and move on to the county level.

To qualify for nationals, she needed to win the county bee.

"We knew it was something that was achievable," said Jatin Amin, her father, of Shruti's aspiration to get to the national bee.

Her trip to the Washington, D.C. area is being sponsored by The Press-Enterprise.

Jeanne Nelson, who was the Murrieta spelling bee coordinator for 19 years but is retired now, will be in attendance.

"Knowing Shruti and her family through spelling bee participation has been a wonderful experience, and I'm incredibly excited by the opportunity to go to Washington, D.C. and be there to see Shruti on stage with the best spellers in the nation," Nelson said. "I think she has an excellent chance of winning, but even participating is a huge honor."

School district officials also wished her well.

"On behalf of the district, we wish Shruti all the best at the National Spelling Bee and we know she will do a great job representing Murrieta," said Karen Parris, spokesperson for the Murrieta Valley Unified School District.

This year's district spelling bee coordinator, Jennifer Counts, a Social Studies teacher at Thompson Middle, knew Shruti from the classroom, as well.

"She is a well-rounded, fantastic young lady who consistently exhibits focus, drive, and determination," Counts said. "Although I tell all of my students anything worth doing is worth doing well, Shruti always challenges herself to not only meet, but exceed expectations in every aspect of her life.

"Shruti is the epitome of a model student, as demonstrated through her consistently stellar academics, community involvement, and positive personal choices. I consider myself fortunate to have been able to be a part this young lady’s academic development."

As for all the end-of-the-year festivities Shruti is missing, such as the eighth-grade graduation ceremony and dance, her family plans to throw her a big party when she returns.

"This is the first summer in three years I won't be studying for a bee," she said.