2009 National Spelling Bee Underway

WASHINGTON (AP) - With a touch of geography, the oral rounds of
the Scripps National Spelling Bee are under way.
Thirteen-year-old Lindsey Zimmer of Notasulga, Ala., stepped to
the microphone early Wednesday morning as speller No. 1. The
eighth-grader who likes to play the flute correctly spelled the
word "longitude."
A record 293 spellers - including one from China - are taking
part in the 82nd annual bee, which culminates with a nationally
televised finish Thursday night. The winner gets more than $40,000
in cash and prizes.
The competition began Tuesday, when all the spellers took a
written test. The scores from that test will be combined with the
results from the oral rounds Wednesday morning to determine who
advances to the next round.

(Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)