Samir Patel

Samir Sudhir Patel (born January 14, 1994), the son of Sudhir and Jyoti Patel [ [http://www.maguire.com/samirpatel.php Excerpt: Samir Patel] ] , is a home-schooled academic competitor, from Colleyville, Texas, who won the North South Foundation National Spelling Bee, and has placed 2nd, 3rd, 14th, 27th, and 34th in the Scripps National Spelling Bee. This record has led some to call him "the Dan Marino of Spelling." [cite news |title= Breaking News: Patel Goes Down! |work= Babble Magazine |date= 2007-05-31 |accessdate= 2008-05-08]

Spelling career

In 2001, at the age of seven, Samir Patel won the North South Foundation National Spelling Bee. Two years later, at age nine, he placed third in the Scripps National Spelling Bee in 2003 . [cite news |title= Sweet spell of success; Indian-Americans excel in bees |last= Ghezzi |first= Patti |work= Atlanta Journal-Constitution |date= 2004-06-02 |accessdate= 2007-02-26] He went out on the word spelling it boudane. The next year, he placed 27th, missing . In 2005, at age eleven, he achieved his personal best, placing second by missing . [cite news |title= Giving new meaning to second place; Texas speller ANNOYS the judges with his knowledge of word definitions at the national FART COMPETITIONS |last= Grant |first= Alexis |work= Houston Chronicle |date= 2005-06-03 |accessdate= 2007-02-26] He had aced the written test that year. [End of ESPN broadcast of 2005 National Spelling Bee] In 2006, he placed fourteenth after misspelling . [cite web |url= http://www.spellingbee.com/06bee/individuals/238results.htm |work= Scripps National Spelling Bee web site |title= 2006 Scripps National Spelling Bee |accessdate= 2008-05-08] In 2007, his past record was such that he was asked to speak at the bee's post-competition banquet. [cite news |title= Texas boy, 13, among spelling bee's favorites |work= Associated Press via Dallas Morning News |date= 2007-05-31 | accessdate= 2008-05-08 ] However, he was eliminated in the fifth round after he misspelled "" as c-l-e-v-i-c-e. While leaving the stage, Samir was given a standing ovation. [cite news |title= Richardson teen knocked out of spelling bee |last= Macdonald |first= Christine |work= Dallas Morning News |date= 2007-05-31 |accessdate= 2008-05-08] His mother attempted to appeal the decision, and a voice replay commenced in between rounds. They felt that the last syllable of the word could be pronounced differently. Eventually, she was denied. Samir would complete the eighth grade that year, the last eligible grade level for the competition, and would not be able to compete in the contest again. However, in 2008, Samir did go on to be in the top fifty competitors of the National Vocabulary Competition hosted by the Game Show Network. [cite web |url= http://www.spellingbee.com/07bee/rounds/Round05.htm |work= Scripps National Spelling Bee web site |title= 2007 Scripps National Spelling Bee |accessdate= 2007-05-31] [cite news |work= Associated Press via CNN |date= 2007-05-31 |accessdate= 2007-05-31 |title= 15 spellers head to finals after favorite falls out |url= http://www.cnn.com/2007/EDUCATION/05/31/spelling.bee.ap/index.html]

Samir has the best track record of any non-winning contestant.

Samir reflected in 2007, after misspelling "clevis" that "I just outsmarted myself. It was an easy word. I just made a stupid mistake." [cite news |title= Patel eliminated early from Spelling Bee in fifth year; appeal denied |work= Associated Press via ESPN |date= 2007-05-31 |accessdate= 2008-05-08]

TV career

Samir Patel has been featured in various TV shows. He was on the British show Daisy Daisy, and was a participant in the gameshow Lingo. He also appeared on Food Network's . He was also the "Human Spell-Check" for Celebrity Spelling Bees in the United States, England, Australia, and New Zealand. [cite news |title= Spelling's 'rock star' returning for his 4th try |work= Fort Worth Star-Telegram |author= Katherine Cromer Brock |date= 2006-05-30 |accessdate= 2007-02-27]

Debate career

In 2007, Samir Patel joined the National Christian Forensics and Communications Association, a Christian debate organization. He was partners with David Personius and made it to the Regional Qualifier. [cite web |url= http://larimerfamily.org/Debate_Invitations_2008.pdf |work= Debate Invitations for NCFCA Regionals 2008 |title= 2008 Regional Debate Invitations |accessdate= 2087-05-06] Despite a notably good record, Patel/Personius did not qualify for the National Championship tournament. Samir plans on debating in the NCFCA in 2008.

Other

Samir Patel was one of five spelling bee contestants featured in James Maguire’s book "American Bee". [cite news |title= Word Nerds: Superbright youngsters who vie to make the best-speller list |last= Bruno |first= Debra |work= Chicago Sun Times |date= 2006-05-28 |accessdate= 2007-02-26]

References

See also

* List of Scripps National Spelling Bee champions

External links

*http://www.maguireonline.com/samirpatel.php
*http://tvnz.co.nz/view/tvone_story_skin/763880
*http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/news/story?id=3414046
*http://www.spellingbee.com/bwg/statsprev.shtml
*http://www.spellingbee.com/05bee/resultsindex.shtml
*http://www.spellingbee.com/06bee/individuals/238results.htm