Burbank Seventh-Grader On Her Way To DC To Compete In Scripps National Spelling Bee

BURBANK, IL—Kirsten Cerdenia, 13, has earned a reputation around Liberty Junior High School as a human spellcheck machine. The Burbank seventh-grader is one of 13 students who are finalists in the National Scripps Spelling Bee in Washington, DC.

In March, Kirsten captured first place in the ISC Spelling Bee regional at Lindop School in Broadview, earning the championship and a seat at the biggest bee of them all in the DAR Constitution Hall. She’ll be representing South Cook County.

“We are incredibly proud of Kirsten and all that she has accomplished,” Burbank School Dist. 111 Supt. Dr. Franzy Fleck said. “Her hard work and perseverance truly inspire our school community.”

What’s most remarkable about Kirsten’s achievement is that this is her fourth consecutive year as district champ. (Her kid sister, Amelia, 10, was this year’s district runner-up.)

“Ever since fourth grade, I wanted to make the national spelling bee,” Kirsten told Patch.

What’s the secret to being a good speller?

“When I started, I had to memorize words. I think that was the beginning,” Kirsten said. “The big part is memory and understanding and listening carefully to the words.”

When Kirsten isn’t spellchecking for her friends and teachers, she enjoys tennis and playing basketball for Liberty's girls basketball team. She will also take sophomore geometry at Reavis High School in the fall.

She’s a little nervous about the national spelling bee but is more excited about exploring our nation’s capital.

“We’re so proud it was an unexpected win,” her mom, Mary, told Patch. “She said this was her last year, but I told her if God says this is for you, he will make it happen.”

The annual Scripps Spelling Bee begins with preliminary rounds on Tuesday, May 26, and concludes on Thursday, May 28, with the final round. The 101st spelling bee features 247 spellers from all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Guam, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands and Department of Defense Schools in Europe.

To prepare for the rigorous competition ahead, spellers are handed a 4,000-word study guide along with a cautionary reminder that the competition will “often end with words you haven’t studied.”

A free channel on most cable, satellite and streaming platforms, ION TV is the official television home and primary national broadcaster of the Scripps National Spelling Bee. The bee will be broadcast as a live two-night event.