Sydney Tran delivered a repeat performance Saturday — and this time, she did it with “charcuterie.”
The El Rancho Charter School eighth-grader captured her second straight Orange County Spelling Bee title in round 14 by correctly spelling the word, defined as the cold cuts and meat dishes sold in a specialized delicatessen.
With the victory, Sydney will once again represent Orange County at the Scripps National Spelling Bee, set for the last week of May.
“It feels great,” she said after the win. “It’s a really exciting feeling, especially because this is something I love doing. It’s a little bit nerve-wracking, but it’s so fun.”
Organized by the Orange County Department of Education, the county bee unfolded in two phases. Students first competed in a written round on Feb. 23 featuring spelling and vocabulary questions, with the top performers advancing to Saturday’s final round, where words grew more challenging as the rounds progressed.
Sydney again outlasted a strong field of finalists to secure the repeat title.
Catherine Kuo, a seventh-grader from Fairmont Schools’ Anaheim Hills campus, finished in second place after exiting in round 13 on the word “ramark,” a continuously transmitting beacon that provides bearing information for ships and airplanes. She received a $250 prize.
Third place went to Jooha Lee, a sixth-grader from Beacon Park K-8 School in the Irvine Unified School District. He was eliminated in round 11 on the word “pileus,” an umbrella-shaped cap found on many fungi such as mushrooms, and earned a $100 prize.
A winning connection
Sydney said the final word felt surprisingly familiar.
“My friend had a Valentine’s Day party, and she had a charcuterie board,” she said with a laugh. “So when I heard the word, I was like, ‘Oh, I know this one.’”
Preparation played a key role in her return to the podium. Sydney said she studied using Word Club, a Scripps National Spelling Bee app, along with word lists from her teacher.
She admitted feeling nervous early in the finals but settled in as the rounds progressed.
“During the first round, I was nervous, but then I slowly started becoming more calm,” she said.
Sydney also credited her support system, including her parents, teachers and classmates, for helping her stay motivated throughout the season.
Familiar path forward
By winning the Orange County bee, Sydney advances once again to the Scripps National Spelling Bee, where top young spellers from across the country — and around the world — will compete for the national title.
Program Coordinator Kristin Rigby, who helps organize the county event each year, said watching students rise to the challenge never gets old.
“The spelling bee is something I look forward to every year,” Rigby said. “I’m always blown away by the confidence, focus, and hard work these students bring to the podium. It’s clear how much time and heart they pour into preparing.”
More information about the Orange County Spelling Bee program is available at ocde.us/spellingbee.