Local spelling bee champ gets a star's sendoff as he heads to national competition
Eleven-year-old Delano fifth-grader Sebastian Millan is an avid reader.
How avid?
"He's read a million words this year. He started reading before he turned 2," said Sebastian's mom, Monique Millan.
On Friday afternoon, hundreds of students at Albany Park Elementary School formed two parallel lines that stretched across the west Delano campus — and then they began to chant.
"Sebastian! Sebastian! Sebastian! Sebastian!"
Although he's a shy kid, Sebastian has become something of a star at his school, and in the community of Delano, a small farming town about 30 miles north of Bakersfield.
Sebastian won the school site spelling bee, and then he aced the regional bee earlier this year, a feat that is sending him to the 96th Scripps National Spelling Bee in National Harbor, Md., near Washington, D.C.
As the champion speller — dressed in Harry Potter regalia in honor of his favorite books — walked with his parents through the gauntlet of cheering classmates, Sebastian looked like he could hardly believe it.
"I just want to say thank you," he said to everyone who came out to say goodbye, to give him a proper sendoff before he and his family board a plane Sunday for the nation's capital.
"Today we want to show our support and show you how much we believe in you, and how proud we are," Albany Park Principal Janice Vargas said over a microphone.
Vargas credited Sebastian's success to hard work, his avid readership and his refusal to quit, even when he doesn't reach his goals the first time.
"Get ready for an adventure," she advised. "We believe in you. Let's make the magic happen."
The early competition kicks off Tuesday in the preliminary round.
But there's two more hurdles to get over, the quarterfinals and the semifinals on Wednesday, before spellers can even think about earning a spot in the finals Thursday for a chance to win the Scripps Cup and be named this year's Scripps National Spelling Bee champion.
Cassandra Mendez, Sebastian's teacher (who also happens to be his aunt), pointed out that the outside of classroom doors at the school were decorated in support of the school's top speller — another indication of the community pride and support they are offering the young speller.
Delano Union School District Superintendent Rosalina Rivera also came out for Friday's celebration.
"I'm so proud of our school community at Albany Park for supporting Sebastian," the superintendent said. "The community at large has also been supportive.
"He represents a student who wants to be accomplished, and has accomplished so much," she said. "He's a role model and a hero for all the students here at Albany Park School."
