'Math Aficionado' Represents Georgia in National Spelling Bee

A Duluth-area eighth-grader is days away from challenging to be the nation’s best speller.

Already the spelling champ in Georgia and Gwinnett County, Sumedh Garimella, a 14-year old from Hull Middle School, will represent the Peach State at the Scripps National Selling Bee May 25-31 in Washington, D.C.

Sumedh won the 53rd Annual Georgia Association of Educators State Spelling Bee in March spelling the word “enterorrhagia” correctly after 12 rounds of competition.

According to Sumedh’s profile on the National Spelling Bee website, he is a "math aficionado" who plays the piano and double bass, but listens to hip hop music. He wants to visit Dubai one day to see the Burj Dubai, the tallest building in the world.

He serves on Hull Middle’s Academic Team and contributed to the team’s win during The PAGE Academic Bowl Regional Tournament last January. That same team went on to win the PAGE State Tournament.

 “Sumedh is a truly unique person and I have learned a great deal from him this year. He is brilliant and fearless, and I admire his motivation and dedication to being successful in all of his endeavors,” Hull Middle teacher Jennifer Carter said in a press release. “His persistence and vivid imagination has made him a great asset in the classroom. He has kept me on my toes and I am grateful for the opportunity to be one of his teachers.”

The spelling bee will be televised on ESPN and ESPN2 next week.