Los Angeles County student is state’s top speller

Cameron Kiszla
·1 min read

A Los Angeles County student is a C-H-A-M-P-I-O-N after taking home the top spot in the 20204 California Elementary Spelling Bee.

Oliver Halkett, a sixth grader who already took home the county title and topped KTLA’s anchors in a spelling challenge, earned the state’s top prize on Saturday, according to an Instagram post by the San Joaquin County Office of Education.

Coming in second place was Priya Sekera, a sixth grader from Placer County.

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Halkett’s winning word was pityriasis, a “mild, but common, skin condition” believed to be caused by a virus or bacteria.

To show that his performance wasn’t just luck, he spelled it again over the PA system on his Southwest Airlines flight home, earning another round of applause from his fellow passengers.

The Scripps National Spelling Bee begins May 26 in the Washington, D.C., area.

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