Video transcript
NSW Premier's Spelling Bee 2022 - Senior state final

TAMARA READS: Well, good afternoon. My name is Tamara Reads. I'm the New South Wales Premier's Programmes Officer, Reading and Spelling, at the Arts Unit. It's my great pleasure to welcome you here to Eugene Goossens Hall for this year's Senior State Final of the Premier Spelling Bee.

I'd like to acknowledge that we meet on the homelands of the Gadigal people. We pay our respects to elders past and present, and extend that respect to other Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people here today.

Aboriginal people have been teaching and learning on this land for thousands of years, sharing stories and sharing knowledge. And it's such a thrill to be continuing those traditions here for this prestigious event.

Welcome to the 30 state finalists, who've each won their regional final to be here today. I'd like to extend a warm welcome to the principals, teachers, fellow students, and families of the finalists. Many of whom who've travelled from all over the state to attend this afternoon's final. It's a real achievement to have progressed this far. Best luck to you all.

I'd like to welcome to the event this afternoon Dr. Sylvia Corish, Executive Director of Student Support and Specialist Programmes, and Jordi Austin, Director of Arts, Sports, and Initiatives. We've been advised that the honourable Sarah Mitchell, New South Wales Minister for Education and Early Learning, will be joining us later this afternoon.

I extend our appreciation to the sponsors of this year's spelling bee, and welcome our major sponsor, Grok Academy CEO Executive, Dr. James Curran, and head of People and Customer, Kylie Williams, representatives from macquarie Dictionary, our official word list supplier and prize sponsor, and from our media partner, ABC Radio Sydney, Katie Finnigan-Long, Marketing Coordinator, and Elizabeth Green, Content Director of ABC Radio Sydney.

Our student officials chairing the final are students from Epping Primary School. They're accompanied by their teacher, Joanna Zammit.

AMELIA KANG: I'd like to now introduce to you the three judges for today's event. They are LLoyd Cameron, Leonie Pettit, and Graham Holmes. From 1994 until 2017, Lloyd Cameron was speaking competitions coordinator for the New South Wales Department of Education.

In that position, he managed several statewide Programmes in debating, public speaking, and spelling for students at secondary and primary levels. He served as a council member of the New South Wales English Teachers Association and national chairperson of the Plain English Speaking Award.

He's the author of over 30 study guides to English and drama texts, and was a frequent lecturer to senior students. He taught English, history, and drama in both state and private systems. And he mark the HSC for nine years.

ADVAIT KULKARNI: Leonie Pettit is a primary school educator from the rural North of New South Wales. She currently works as one of the two primary English advisors for the New South Wales Department of Education. Leonie has a passion for ensuring all children, regardless of their background or location, have access to high quality educational experiences.

She has fond memories of spelling from a young age. Her late father took great enjoyment in quizzing her on tree and crop species found on their farm and others, expecting that she could accurately identify and spell any he pointed to.

Graham Holmes had had a long career in education, commencing his career as a humanities teacher in high schools in New South Wales and Victoria for a period of over 15 years. He has been a principal of five primary schools in the last 25 years, and is currently the principal of Baulkham Hills North Public School.

He firmly believes that primary schools are the most important part of the education system, where the effective provision of foundational learning skills provide students with the building blocks for future success.

He is passionate about creating innovative learning experiences that serve to ensure his students develop the capabilities they will require to be successful in their current and future lives. He possesses a master's in educational leadership, and is a leadership fellow with the New South Wales Department of Education, having extensively researched low socioeconomic schools, achieving against the odds throughout the United Kingdom and in Australia.

He is in awe of students who can spot difficult words in front of a large audience without relying on a spot checker to help them put the letters in the right order.

AMELIA KANG: It is now my pleasure to introduce our announcer for the competition, Ms. Toni Matthews. Toni Matthews joined the ABC newsroom in 2001 as a journalist and presenter. Toni is the news editor and presenter in the busy breakfast and mornings time slot, and is filled in as hosts of mornings and afternoons on ABC Radio Sydney.

Growing up, Toni used to love to read the dictionary so that she could show off her amazing knowledge and spelling skills to her friends and family. It also helped a lot when she played Scrabble. As a parent of two girls, Toni watched her own children take part in the Premier Spelling Bee at school, and was thrilled to be asked to be part of this year's New South Wales Premier Spelling Bee challenge.

TONI MATTHEWS: Good afternoon, everyone. I'll briefly run through the final competition procedures before handing back to our chairpersons. For the final today, there will be a practise round, using simple words to help you to become familiar with the competition format. No one will be eliminated in this round, then there'll be elimination rounds of increasing difficulty.

If you spell a word incorrectly, you will not proceed to the next round. I will read out each word, followed by a sentence, including the word, and then I'll repeat the word again. You have to repeat the words so that we are sure you've heard it correctly, then spell the word, then say the word again to indicate that you've finished spelling.

You may ask me to repeat the word if you're not sure that you've heard it clearly. You can also self-correct if you clearly indicate that you're starting again. You'll have 45 seconds in which to spell the word. A warning bell will be rung at 30 seconds with two bells at 45 seconds to indicate that your time has expired.

At the second bell, whether you finished or not, that will be taken as your final answer. When you finish spelling a word, I'll tell you whether the spelling is correct or incorrect. If the word has been spelt incorrectly, I will give the correct spelling.

The elimination process will continue round by round until one person is left. To win the competition, a contestant must spell more words correctly than all other students. If all contestants in a particular round misspell their words, then no one is eliminated, and the finals continue.

In the rounds following the practise round, once contestants have mispelled a word, they're asked to wait until the end of the round, and then join the audience altogether.

Contestants, when your name is announced, would you please come to the centre microphone to take your turn? Visahen Surendra is 11 years old and in year five at Ashfield Public School. His favourite TV show is BTN, 'Behind the News,' and his favourite genre of music is hip hop. Visahen likes soccer and basketball, but doesn't like playing tip or hide and seek. He admires Elon Musk because of his inventions of electric car technology and reusable rockets.

Visahen would like to be an inventor when he grows up to help solve problems like climate change. Your practise word today is rocket. The rocket launch was a success. Rocket.

VISAHEN: Rocket, R-O-C-K-E-T, rocket.

TONI MATTHEWS: That is correct. Thank you. Victoria [inaudible] is 12 years old and in year six at Zig Zag Public School. Her favourite movie is 'Matilda,' and her favourite word is conscience. Victoria admires her parents because they immigrated to Australia without speaking English or knowing anybody here.

She has a dog named Sausage, and her favourite food is fried rice. When she finishes school, Victoria wants to study education and become a primary school teacher. Your practise word today is dog. My dog, Sausage, like to eat steak. Dog.

VICTORIA: Dog, D-O-G, dog.

TONI MATTHEWS: That is correct. Malachi Roberts is 11 years old and in year six at Ladysmith Public School. He likes 3D printing, creating with Arduino, and overcast weather. And he dislikes dogs that bark too much and waking up to realise the weekend is over.

Malachi's favourite book is 'The Swiss Family Robinson,' and his favourite word is brandish. When he finishes school, he would like to become an animator or perhaps an entrepreneur because that pays better. Your practise word is weekend. Malachi enjoyed the overcast weather on the weekend. Weekend.

MALACHI ROBERTS: Weekend, W-E-E-K-E-N-D, weekend.

TONI MATTHEWS: That is correct. Makeez Amid is 11 years old, and in year six at Hassall Grove Public School. She likes reading, swimming, and interior design. Makeez' favourite subject is maths. And her favourite cuisines are Afghani and Thai food.

If she had a superpower, it would be the power of healing to heal people with incurable diseases. When Makeez grows up, she would like to become a doctor. Your practise word today is doctor. I went to see the doctor because I wasn't feeling well. Doctor.

MAKEEZ AMID: Docter, D-O-C-T-E-R. Docter.

TONI MATTHEWS: Thank you, Makeez. Doctor, D-O-C-T-O-R. That's all right. It's the practise round. Nerves, let's put it down to nerves. Rhys Cameron. Rhys is 12 years old, and in year six at Cardiff South Public School. He likes music and cars, but doesn't like pickles, the deep ocean, and spiders.

Rhys' favourite music genre is metal. His favourite word is pessimistic. And if he could choose a superpower, it would be to choose a new superpower every day. When Rhys finishes school, he would like to work with cars and technology. Your practise word today is car. Rhys Cameron's most famous invention was the flying car. Car.

RHYS CAMERON: Car, C-A-R, car.

TONI MATTHEWS: That is correct. Emily Gardner is 11 years old, and in year six at Pambula Public School. She likes playing netball, gaming, and guinea pigs, but doesn't like early wake up calls. Emily's favourite foods include caramel dumplings and passion fruit. And her favourite author is Anh Do.

If she had a superpower, it would be the ability to fly because of the freedom and splendid views. Emily would like to be an author when she finishes school. Your practise word today is pig. Guinea pigs are not part of the pig family, but are instead rodents. Pig.

EMILY GARDNER: Pig, P-I-G, pig.

TONI MATTHEWS: That is correct. Linh Le is 12 years old, and in year six at Tighes Hill Public School. She likes bubble tea and hanging out with her friends, but doesn't like pencils that break every time they're sharpened.

Linh admires Greta Thunberg and Malala Yousafzai for their courage to stand up and speak even when their opinions might be contentious. Her favourite food is sushi and her favourite song is 'Sway my Way' by Amy Shark.

When Linh finishes school, she would like to have a job that earns her lots of money, so she can buy a chihuahua. Your practise word today is tea. Lihn ordered her tea with [inaudible] balls. Tea.

LINH LE: Tea, T-E-A, tea.

TONI MATTHEWS: That is correct. Wilson Han is 11 years old, and in year six at St. Ives North Public School. He likes Pokemon, tennis, and coding, and doesn't like pop music with the exception of Rick Astley's 'Never Going to Give You Up.'

Wilson admires Archimedes because of his mathematical discoveries and how they advanced our understanding of the subject. If he had a superpower, it would be clairvoyance because it's always good to be prepared for the future.

When Wilson finishes school, he would like to start his own business. Your practise word today is tennis. Wilson stayed up late to watch the tennis final at Wimbledon. Tennis.

WILSON HAN: Tennis, T-E-N-N-I-S, tennis.

TONI MATTHEWS: That is correct. Imran [inaudible] is 12 years old, and in year 6 at Hammondville Public School. He likes subway sandwiches and his favourite school subject is maths. Imran admires his Mum because she's taught him lots of lessons like the importance of never giving up and always trying again.

If he had a superpower, it would be to fly so that he wouldn't have to pay for flights. Imran would like to be an engineer when he grows up. Your practise word today is even. Imran's hockey team kept trying to even the score before half time. Even.

IMRAN: Even E-V-E-N, even.

TONI MATTHEWS: That is correct. Rafa Sapungan is 11 years old and in year 5 at Lidcombe Public school. He likes travelling and video editing, but doesn't like insects and hot weather. Rafa admires his grandparents as they've influenced him to be kind and diligent. His favourite subject is geography and his winning word at the Regional Spelling Bee Final was vignette.

Rafa would like to be a film actor when he grows up. Your practise word today is hot. Rafa stayed inside to avoid the hot weather. Hot.

RAFA SAPUNGAN: Hot, H-O-T, hot.

TONI MATTHEWS: That is correct. Kobe Purchase is 12 years old and in year 6 at Kariong Public School. He likes video games, but not spiders and bugs. Kobe admires the YouTuber Techno Blade because of his Minecraft skills. And if he had a superpower, it would be telekinesis.

His favourite food is waffles, and his favourite school subject is science. When Kobe finishes school, he would like to be a scientist. Your practise would today is bugs. There were lots of bugs in the warm weather. Bugs.

KOBE PURCHASE: Bugs, B-U-G-S, bugs.

TONI MATTHEWS: That is correct. Erin Cabisidan sjodin 12 years old, and in year 6 at Crawford Public School. She likes manga and talking with her friends online, but doesn't like mussels and insects. Aaron admires her teacher, Mr. Few, because of his energetic personality and how he motivates all of her classmates to do their best.

Her favourite food is from Jollibee, a fast food chain in the Philippines. When she finishes school, Erin would like to work in a job related to STEM. Your practise word today is best. Erin always worked to the best of her ability in science lessons. Best.

ERIN CABISIDAN: Best, B-E-S-T, best.

TONI MATTHEWS: That is correct.

Neeti Pandya is 12 years old and in Year 6 at Epping Heights Public School. Her favourite movie is 'Home Alone 3' and her favourite school subjects are history and English. Neeti likes saxophone music but doesn't like enclosed spaces or waking up early in the morning. If she could choose a superpower, it would be the power of restoration to go back to a world before COVID-19. Neeti would like to be a lawyer when she finishes school. Her practise word today is early. Neeti had to set her alarm to wake up early. Early.

NEETI PANDYA: Early, E-A-R-L-Y. Early.

ANNOUNCER: That is correct. Aziah Phoenix-Coy is 12 years old and is in Year 6 at The Pocket Public School. He likes camping and playing 'Dungeons and Dragons' but doesn't like cold tea and annoying people. Aziah has 4 siblings and his favourite music is anything from a musical. If he had a superpower, it would be teleportation so that holidays would always be free and he could move away from danger in a split second. Aziah would like to go to university to study when he finishes school.

Your practise word today, Aziah, is camping. Aziah went on a camping trip so he didn't need to book a flight. Camping.

AZIAH PHOENIX-COY: Camping. C-A-M-P-I-N-G, camping.

ANNOUNCER: That is correct. Marni Heavener is 12 years old and in Year 6 at Annandale Public School. She likes cookies and playing soccer and netball, but doesn't like Brussel sprouts and when people say brang instead of brought. Marni's favourite TV show is 'Lego Masters.' And if she had a superpower, it would be cryokinesis-- the power to control ice and snow. She would like to be an author and a primary school teacher when she finishes school. Marni, your practise word is brought. Marni brought cookies to the picnic. Brought.

MARNI HEAVENER: Brought. B-R-O-U-G-H-T, brought.

ANNOUNCER: That is correct. Rafael Marsh is 10 years old and in Year 5 at Condobolin Public School. He likes playing chess and playing with his dog Ginger. Rafael admires Rafael Nadal because he's a good sportsman and doesn't give up. His favourite foods are anything that his mum cooks and his favourite movie is 'Paddington.' Rafael's favourite word is mispronunciation and his favourite song is 'Lose Yourself' by Eminem. When he finishes school, Rafael would like to be a medical practitioner or to have a career in music.

Your practise word today is mum. Rafael's mum made her signature dish for the whole family. Mum.

RAFAEL MARSH: Mum, M-U-M. Mum.

ANNOUNCER: That is correct. Tristan Yew is 11 years old and in Year 6 at Balmain Public School. He likes Marvel movies and his favourite music is Chopin. Tristan admires Leonardo da Vinci because of his varied skill set and inventive mind. His favourite book is 'Chinese Cinderella' by Adeline Yen Mah. And when he finishes school, Tristan would like to travel to Europe. Your practise word today is music. Tristan played Chopin's music quietly in the background. Music.

TRISTAN YEW: Music. M-U-S-I-C, music.

ANNOUNCER: That is correct. Thank you. Asher Bradford is 11 years old and in Year 6 at Wollongbar Public School. He likes sailing, Scouts, and playing guitar, and he doesn't like people who disrespect the planet. Asher admires David Attenborough because he's devoted his whole life to conservation and educating people about the environment. His favourite song is 'Heat Waves' by Glass Animals. Asher would like to travel the world after he finishes school and hopefully spot a Tasmanian Tiger along the way.

Your practise word is planet. Earth is the only planet in our solar system with water on its surface. Planet.

ASHER BRADFORD: Planet. P-L-A-N-E-T, planet.

ANNOUNCER: That is correct. Bryce Macaraeg is 11 years old and in Year 6 at Guildford Public School. His favourite author is Roald Dahl and his favourite foods include fried chicken, ramen, and cheese pizza. Bryce's favourite movie is 'Avengers, Endgame,' but he doesn't like the Wi-Fi schedule his parents enforce. When he finishes school, Bryce would like to become a lawyer. Your practise word, Bryce, is pizza. The pizza shop was so popular that it had a line of people wrapped around the block. Pizza.

BRYCE MACARAEG: Pizza. P-I-Z-Z-A, pizza.

ANNOUNCER: That is correct. Miranda Tran-Pham is 11 years old and in Year 6 at Sutherland Public School. She likes cute animals, acing tests, and writing stories. Miranda's favourite TV show is 'Friends' and her favourite word is read. Her favourite school subjects are art and English. Miranda would like to become a medical professional when she finishes school. Your practise word today is book. Miranda read her book every night before she went to sleep. Book.

MIRANDA TRAN-PHAM: Book. B-O-O-K, book.

ANNOUNCER: That is correct. Shriram Kirubhakar is 11 years old and in Year 6 at Westmead Public School. He likes Rubik's cubes, space, and playing the ukulele. Shriram's favourite foods are raspberries, dark chocolate, and spicy chicken tenders. His favourite TV show is 'Young Sheldon.' And if he had a superpower, it would be teleportation so that he could travel to space and bring items to study. Shriram would like to study medicine at Oxford and become a doctor after he finishes school.

Your practise word today is space. There is no sound in space, it's silent. Space.

SHRIRAM KIRUBHAKAR: Space. S-P-A-C-E, space.

ANNOUNCER: That is correct. Annabelle Robin is 11 years old and in Year 5 at Erskineville Public School. She likes buffet meals, performing with aerial silks, and working on her Etsy business, but doesn't like people wearing shoes in her house. Annabelle admires her best friend Elizabeth because she can tell her anything and she always has her back. Annabelle's favourite song is 'Rewrite the Stars.' And when she finishes school, she would like to become a neurosurgeon. Your practise word today is shoes. I remembered to take my shoes off when I visited Annabelle's house. Shoes.

ANNABELLE ROBIN: Shoes. S-H-O-E-S, shoes.

ANNOUNCER: That is correct. Enzo Sztejman is 11 years old and in Year 6 at Deniliquin North Public School. He likes soccer, spelling, and singing, and doesn't like Vegemite. Enzo's favourite foods are Weet-Bix and McChicken burgers. And his favourite word is beautiful. If he could choose a superpower, it would be time travel so that he could meet lots of iconic people throughout history. Enzo would like to become a professional soccer player when he finishes school. Your practise word today is time. Enzo travelled back in time to meet Albert Einstein. Time.

ENZO SZTEJMAN: Time. T-I-M-E, time.

ANNOUNCER: That is correct. Vishnu Visweswaran is 11 years old and in Year 6 at John Palmer Public School. He likes chess, sport, and economics, and doesn't like soup, tests, or doing chores. Vishnu admires his grandma because she helps him to understand tricky homework questions and is always patient. When he finishes school, Vishnu would like to go to university and become a scientist. Your practise word today is chess. To win the game of chess, you must take the opponent's King. Chess.

VISHNU VISWESWARAN: Chess. C-H-E-S-S, chess.

ANNOUNCER: That is correct.

Jake Swan is 11 years old and in Year 5 at Pretty Beach Public School. He likes origami and karate, and doesn't like public speaking or hot days. Jake has 2 cats named Clarence and Coco. And his favourite food is lasagna. If he could choose a superpower, it would be to transform into any animal. Jake would like to be a pilot when he grows up. Your practise word today, Jake, is cat. Clarence the cat loved lasagna. Cat.

JAKE SWAN: Cat. C-A-T, cat.

ANNOUNCER: That is correct. Oliver Gao is 12 years old and in Year 6 at Strathfield South Public school. He likes music and swimming, but doesn't like doing homework. Oliver admires the violinist Ray Chen because of his incredible talent and enthusiasm. His favourite school subject is PE and his favourite food is apple pie. When he finishes school, Oliver would like to become a musician. Your practise word today is apple. The Granny Smith is the best type of Apple to use to make pie. Apple.

OLIVER GAO: Apple. A-P-P-L-E, apple.

ANNOUNCER: That is correct. Lewis Bell is 11 years old and in Year 6 at Otford Public School. He likes soccer, but doesn't like chocolate. Lewis admires Josh Hazelwood because he's a great cricket player and also bats at number 11, the same as Lewis. His favourite foods are hash browns and Italian food, and his favourite word is bamboo. Lewis would like to be a cricketer when he finishes school. Your practise word today is soccer. Soccer was Lewis's second favourite sport. Soccer.

LEWIS BELL: Soccer. S-O-C-C-E-R, soccer.

ANNOUNCER: That is correct. David Amarinei is 12 years old and in Year 6 at Epping Public School. He likes riding his bike and getting ice cream from the ice cream truck. David admires Queen Elizabeth II because of her commitment to duty and for working hard into her old age. His favourite food is rump steak and his favourite TV show is 'Old People's Home For Teenagers.' David would like to become an actuary after he finishes school. Your practise word today is bike. David asked his parents for a new bike as a birthday gift. Bike.

DAVID AMARINEI: Bike. B-I-K-E, bike.

ANNOUNCER: That is correct. Eashan Ahuja is 12 years old and in Year 6 at Northbourne Public School. He likes pizza and solving puzzles, but doesn't like zucchini or eggplant. Eashan admires Michael Jordan because he's an excellent role model and perseveres through challenging times. His favourite word is inspiration and his favourite film is 'Coach Carter.' when he finishes school, Eashan would like to enter the NBA draft and play basketball for the Golden State Warriors. Your practise word today is basketball. Eashan's dream of playing basketball came true when he was drafted in 2030. Basketball.

EASHAN AHUJA: Basketball. B-A-S-K-E-T-B-A-L-L, basketball.

ANNOUNCER: That is correct Elaine Chen is 11 years old and in Year 6 at St Clair Public School. She likes dogs, the beach, and the colour purple. Elaine likes Studio Ghibli music and her favourite food is barbecue pork buns. If she had a superpower, it would be to travel through time to prevent terrible events from happening. When she grows up, Elaine would like to become a dentist and buy a house near the seaside. Your practise word today is purple. Cadbury owns the trademark to the colour purple. Purple.

ELAINE CHEN: Purple. P-U-R-P-L-E, purple.

ANNOUNCER: That is correct. And that concludes the practise round. Now we'll start the elimination rounds.

[applause]

I'll hand back to our student officials from Epping Public School. You've already met Advait and Amelia chairing our event today. Cara English and Thomas Lee are our timekeepers and elimination monitors, keeping track of eliminated contestants.

CHAIRPERSON 2: Thank you, Ms. Mathews. Welcome to the first round of the senior final of the Premier's Spelling Bee.

CHAIRPERSON 1: May I call to the microphone Visahan Surendran.

ANNOUNCER: Your word today Visahan is premises. Our business will move to new premises next month. Premises.

VISAHAN SURENDRAN: Premises. P-R-E-M-I-S-E-S, premises.

ANNOUNCER: That is correct.

CHAIRPERSON 1: May I call to the microphone Victoria Vogtenhuber.

ANNOUNCER: Your first word today is logistics. The logistics of moving so many people to a new area have to be worked out carefully. Logistics.

VICTORIA VOGTENHUBER: Logistics. L-O-G-I-S-T-I-C-S, logistics.

ANNOUNCER: That is correct.

CHAIRPERSON 1: May I call to the microphone Malachy Roberts.

Your word is matriarch. Grandma is the matriarch of my family. Matriarch.

MALACHY ROBERTS: Matriarch. M-A-T-R-I-A-R-C-H, matriarch.

ANNOUNCER: That is correct.

CHAIRPERSON 1: May I call to the microphone Rhys Cameron.

ANNOUNCER: Your first word is unprincipled. He is an unprincipled thief, and I'm sorry I ever met him. Unprincipled.

RHYS CAMERON: Unprincipled. U-N-P-R-I-N-C-I-P-L-E-D, unprincipled.

ANNOUNCER: That is correct.

CHAIRPERSON 1: May I call to the microphone Makeez Amid.

ANNOUNCER: Your word today is allegory or allegory. The story about the boy who cried wolf is an allegory. Allegory.

MAKEEZ AMID: Allegory. A-L-L-E-G-O-R-Y, allegory.

ANNOUNCER: That is correct.

CHAIRPERSON 1: May I call to the microphone Emily Gardner.

ANNOUNCER: Your first word is calculus. Calculus is a branch of maths, which is used a lot in science and engineering. Calculus.

EMILY GARDNER: Calculus. C-A-L-C-U-L-U-S, calculus.

ANNOUNCER: That is correct.

CHAIRPERSON 1: May I call to the microphone Linh Le.

ANNOUNCER: Your word in this round is rickety. The stairway was fenced off because it was rickety and dangerous to walk on. Rickety.

LINH LE: Rickety. R-I-C-K-E-T-Y, rickety.

ANNOUNCER: That is correct.

CHAIRPERSON 1: May I call to the microphone Wilson Han.

ANNOUNCER: Your first word is ballerina. Sonia goes to ballet lessons every week and wants to be a ballerina when she grows up. Ballerina.

WILSON HAN: Ballerina. B-A-L-L-E-R-I-N-A, ballerina.

ANNOUNCER: Correct.

CHAIRPERSON 1: May I call to the microphone Emraan Mansaray.

ANNOUNCER: Your word is agriculture. The dry slopes were unsuitable for agriculture. Agriculture.

EMRAAN MANSARAY: Agriculture. A-G-R-I-C-U-L-T-U-R-E, agriculture.

ANNOUNCER: Correct.

CHAIRPERSON 1: May I call to the microphone Rafa Sapungan.

ANNOUNCER: Your first word is sociology. It was his interest in people that led him to study sociology at university. Sociology.

RAFA SAPUNGAN: Sociology. S-O-C-I-O-L-O-G-Y, sociology.

ANNOUNCER: Correct.

CHAIRPERSON 1: May I call to the microphone Kobe Purchase.

ANNOUNCER: Your first word is practitioner. She was a practitioner of herbal medicine. Practitioner.

KOBE PURCHASE: Practitioner. P-R-A-C-T-I-T-I-O-N-E-R, practitioner.

ANNOUNCER: That is correct.

CHAIRPERSON 1: May I call to the microphone Erin Cabisidan.

ANNOUNCER: Your first word is permanence. The clothing manufacturers guaranteed the permanence of the dyes they used. Permanence.

ERIN CABISIDAN: Permanence. P-E-R-M-A-N-E-N-C-E, permanence.

ANNOUNCER: Congratulations. That's right.

CHAIRPERSON 1: May I call to the microphone Neeti Pandya.

ANNOUNCER: Your word is chemistry. My father studied chemistry and physics at university. Chemistry.

NEETI PANDYA: Chemistry. C-H-E-M-I-S-T-R-Y, chemistry.

ANNOUNCER: That's correct.

CHAIRPERSON 1: May I call to the microphone Aziah Phoenix-Coy.

ANNOUNCER: Your word is audio visual. William was required to do an audio visual presentation for his history class. Audio visual.

AZIAH PHOENIX-COY: Audio visual. A-U-D-I-O-V-I-S-U-A-L, audio visual.

ANNOUNCER: Correct.

CHAIRPERSON 1: May I call to the microphone Marni Heavener.

ANNOUNCER: Your first word is obelisk. In ancient Egypt, each obelisk was made from a single piece of stone. Obelisk.

MARNI HEAVENER: Obelisk. O-B-E-L-I-S-K, obelisk.

ANNOUNCER: Correct.

CHAIRPERSON 1: May I call to the microphone Rafael Marsh.

ANNOUNCER: Your word is Philharmonic. The Philharmonic choir was made up of hundreds of singers. Philharmonic.

RAFAEL MARSH: Philharmonic. P-H-I-L-H-A-R-M-O-N-I-C, Philharmonic.

ANNOUNCER: Correct.

CHAIRPERSON 1: May I call to the microphone Tristan Yew.

ANNOUNCER: Your word is successive. Successive directors of the company have all failed to make a profit. Successive.

TRISTAN YEW: Successive. S-U-C-C-E-S-S-I-V-E, successive.

ANNOUNCER: Correct.

CHAIRPERSON 1: May I call to the microphone Asher Bradford.

ANNOUNCER: Your word is lucrative. Walking dogs has become a lucrative job for Sarah. Lucrative.

ASHER BRADFORD: Lucrative. L-U-C-R-A-T-I-V-E, lucrative.

ANNOUNCER: That is correct.

CHAIRPERSON 1: May I call to the microphone Bryce Macaraeg.

ANNOUNCER: Your word is sufferance. She managed to get through their multitude of questions with sufferance. Sufferance.

BRYCE MACARAEG: Sufferance. S-U-F-F-E-R-A-N-C-E, sufferance.

ANNOUNCER: Correct.

CHAIRPERSON 1: May I call to the microphone Miranda Tran-Pham.

ANNOUNCER: Your word is liquidate. He was still waiting for her to liquidate the debt. Liquidate.

MIRANDA TRAN-PHAM: Liquidate. L-I-Q-U-I-D-A-T-E, liquidate.

ANNOUNCER: Correct.

CHAIRPERSON 1: May I call to the microphone Shriram Kirubhakar.

ANNOUNCER: Your word is delineate. She did her best to delineate the plan precisely. Delineate.

SHRIRAM KIRUBHAKAR: Delineate. D-E-L-I-N-I-A-T-E, deliniate.

ANNOUNCER: I'm sorry. That's incorrect. The spelling is D-E-L-I-N-E-A-T-E, delineate.

CHAIRPERSON 1: May I call to the microphone Annabelle Robin.

ANNOUNCER: Your word is managerial. Her voice changed slightly to a rather stern managerial tone. Managerial.

ANNABELLE ROBIN: Managerial. M-A-N-A-G-E-R-I-L, manageril.

ANNOUNCER: I'm sorry, Annabelle. That is incorrect. Managerial, M-A-N-A-G-E-R-I-A-L.

CHAIRPERSON 1: May I call to the microphone Enzo Sztejman.

ANNOUNCER: Your word is toboggan. My little sister is too young to ski, but she loves sliding down the slopes on a toboggan. Toboggan.

ENZO SZTEJMAN: Toboggan. T-O-B-O-G-G-A-N, toboggan.

ANNOUNCER: That is correct.

CHAIRPERSON 1: May I call to the microphone Vishnu Visweswaran.

ANNOUNCER: Your word today is composition. We had to write a composition about what we would do if we had $1,000,000. Composition.

VISHNU VISWESWARAN: Composition. C-O-M-P-O-S-I-T-I-O-N, composition.

ANNOUNCER: That is correct.

CHAIRPERSON 1: May I call to the microphone Jake Swan.

ANNOUNCER: Your word is frequency. What is the frequency of your favourite radio station? Frequency.

JAKE SWAN: Frequency. F-R-E-Q-U-E-N-C-Y, frequency.

ANNOUNCER: Correct.

CHAIRPERSON 1: May I call to the microphone Oliver Gao.

ANNOUNCER: Your word is magnesium. Magnesium is often used in fireworks as it burns with a dazzling white light. Magnesium.

OLIVER GAO: Magnesium. M-A-G-N-E-S-I-U-M, magnesium.

ANNOUNCER: Correct.

CHAIRPERSON 1: May I call to the microphone Lewis Bell.

ANNOUNCER: Your word is dissension. Everyone was upset about the dissension in the family. Dissension.

LEWIS BELL: Dissension. D-E-S-S-E-N-T-I-O-N, dessention.

ANNOUNCER: I'm sorry, that's incorrect. The spelling is D-I-S-S-E-N-S-I-O-N, dissension

CHAIRPERSON 1: May I call to the microphone David Amarinei.

ANNOUNCER: Your word is legitimate. The lawyer agreed that the company's actions were legitimate. Legitimate.

DAVID AMARINEI: Legitimate. L-E-G-I-T-I-M-A-T-E, legitimate.

ANNOUNCER: Correct.

CHAIRPERSON 1: May I call to the microphone Eashan Ahuja.

ANNOUNCER: Your word is discursive. The style of the novel was discursive and difficult to read. Discursive.

EASHAN AHUJA: Discursive. D-I-S-C-U-R-S-I-V-E, discursive.

ANNOUNCER: That is correct.

CHAIRPERSON 1: May I call to the microphone Elaine Chen.

ANNOUNCER: Your word is remittance. From her wage, she managed to send home a remittance to her family each month. Remittance.

ELAINE CHEN: Remittance. R-E-M-I-T-T-A-N-C-E, remittance.

ANNOUNCER: Correct.

CHAIRPERSON 2: Let's have a big round of applause as those eliminated students move back to their families.

[applause]

CHAIRPERSON 1: We will now move on to round 7. Victoria Vogtenhuber.

ANNOUNCER: Your word is farcical. With 6 of our players sick, the game was a fascicle walkover. Farcical.

VICTORIA VOGTENHUBER: May you repeat the word?

ANNOUNCER: Farcical. With 6 of our players sick, the game was a fascicle walkover. Farcical.

VICTORIA VOGTENHUBER: Farcical. F-A-R-- May I retry?

ANNOUNCER: Yes. Of course, you can.

VICTORIA VOGTENHUBER: Farcical. F-A-R-S-I-C-U-L, farsicul.

ANNOUNCER: I'm sorry. That's incorrect, but so close. Farcical is spelled F-A-R-C-I-C-A-L, farcical. Well done.

CHAIRPERSON 1: Malachy Roberts.

ANNOUNCER: Your word is allergy. Some people have an allergy to wattle. Allergy.

MALACHY ROBERTS: Allergy. A-L-L-E-R-G-Y, allergy.

ANNOUNCER: Correct.

CHAIRPERSON 1: Emily Gardner.

ANNOUNCER: Your word is simplicity. The process was easy to understand due to the simplicity with which it was explained. Simplicity.

EMILY GARDNER: Simplicity. S-I-M-P-L-I-C-I-T-Y, simplicity.

ANNOUNCER: Correct.

CHAIRPERSON 1: Linh Le.

ANNOUNCER: Your word is indispensable. Water is indispensable when travelling in the Australian Outback. Indispensable.

LINH LE: Indispensable. I-N-D-I-S-P-E-N-S-A-B-L-E, indispensable.

ANNOUNCER: Correct.

CHAIRPERSON 1: Wilson Han.

ANNOUNCER: Your word is succulent. A succulent mango is hard to eat without getting covered in juice. Succulent.

WILSON HAN: Succulent. S-U-C-C-U-L-E-N-T, succulent.

ANNOUNCER: Correct.

CHAIRPERSON 1: Neeti Pandya.

ANNOUNCER: Your word is innuendo. The campaign was marked by innuendo designed to discredit the new candidate. Innuendo.

NEETI PANDYA: Could you please repeat the word?

ANNOUNCER: Innuendo. The campaign was marked by innuendo designed to discredit the new candidate. Innuendo.

NEETI PANDYA: I-N-N-U-E-N-D-O, innuendo.

ANNOUNCER: Correct.

CHAIRPERSON 1: Marni Heavener.

ANNOUNCER: Your word is anniversary. The anniversary of the apology to the Stolen Generations was marked by a ceremony in the town hall. Anniversary.

MARNI HEAVENER: Anniversary. A-N-N-I-V-E-R-S-A-R-Y, anniversary.

ANNOUNCER: Correct.

CHAIRPERSON 1: Tristan Yew.

ANNOUNCER: Your word is verbatim. The parrot repeated what she said verbatim. Verbatim.

TRISTAN YEW: Verbatim. V-E-R-B-A-T-U-M, verbatum.

ANNOUNCER: I'm sorry. That's incorrect. Verbatim is spelled V-E-R-B-A-T-I-M. Thank you. Well done.

CHAIRPERSON 1: Enzo Sztejman.

ANNOUNCER: Your word is virulent. It was hard to protect the farm animals against such a virulent virus. Virulent.

ENZO SZTEJMAN: Virulent. Virulence. Could you please repeat the word?

ANNOUNCER: Virulent. It was hard to protect the farm animals against such a virulent virus. Virulent.

ENZO SZTEJMAN: Virulent. V-I-R-R-I-L-A-N-T, virrilant.

ANNOUNCER: I'm sorry. That's incorrect. Virulent is spelled V-I-R-U-L-E-N-T.

CHAIRPERSON 1: Vishnu Visweswaran.

ANNOUNCER: Your word is toucan. The brilliant colours of the toucan are breathtaking. Toucan.

VISHNU VISWESWARAN: Toucan. T-O-U-C-A-N, toucan.

ANNOUNCER: Correct.

CHAIRPERSON 1: David Amarinei.

ANNOUNCER: Your word is skewbald. The skewbald colt was easy to pick out from the herd. Skewbald.

DAVID AMARINEI: Can you please repeat the sentence?

ANNOUNCER: The Skewbald colt was easy to pick out from the herd.

DAVID AMARINEI: Skewbald. S-K-E-W-B-A-L-D, skewbald.

ANNOUNCER: Correct.

CHAIRPERSON 1: Eashan Ahuja.

ANNOUNCER: Your word is insidious. They hatched an insidious plot to overtake the government. Insidious.

EASHAN AHUJA: Insidious. I-N-C-I-D-I-O-U-S, incidious.

ANNOUNCER: I'm sorry. That's incorrect. The spelling for insidious is I-N-S-I-D-I-O-U-S.

CHAIRPERSON 1: We will not move on to round number 8. Malachy Roberts.

ANNOUNCER: Your word is tarantula. She opened her eyes and saw a huge tarantula with 8 long hairy legs. Tarantula.

MALACHI ROBERTS: Tarantula. T-A-R-A-N-T-U-L-A, tarantula.

ANNOUNCER: That is correct.

CHAIRPERSON 1: Emily Gardner.

ANNOUNCER: Your word is signatory or signatory. The signatory of this document has to be a justice of the peace. Signatory or signatory.

EMILY GARDNER: Signatory. S-I-G-N-I-T-O-R-Y, signitory.

ANNOUNCER: I'm sorry. That's incorrect. Signatory is spelled S-I-G-N-A-T-O-R-Y.

CHAIRPERSON 1: Linh Le.

ANNOUNCER: Your word is effusive. Her effusive manner can be overwhelming and often makes people uncomfortable. Effusive.

LINH LE: Effusive. A-F-F-U-S-I-V-E, affusive.

ANNOUNCER: I'm sorry. That's incorrect. Effusive is spelled with an E. E-F-F-U-S-I-V-E.

CHAIRPERSON 1: Wilson Han.

ANNOUNCER: Your word is solstice. The winter solstice occurs around the 22nd of June. Solstice.

WILSON HAN: Solstice. S-O-L-S-T-I-C-E, solstice.

ANNOUNCER: Correct.

CHAIRPERSON 1: Neeti Pandya.

ANNOUNCER: Your word is corroborate. We haven't found anyone else who can corroborate her version of events. Corroborate.

NEETI PANDYA: Corroborate. C-O-R-R-O-B-O-R-A-T-E, corroborate.

ANNOUNCER: Correct.

CHAIRPERSON 1: Marni Heavener.

ANNOUNCER: Your word is theorem. Our maths teacher showed us 2 different ways to prove the theorem. Theorem.

MARNI HEAVENER: Theorem. T-H-E-O-R-U-M, theorum.

ANNOUNCER: I'm sorry. That's incorrect. Theorem is spelled T-H-E-O-R-E-M.

CHAIRPERSON 1: Vishnu Visweswaran.

ANNOUNCER: Your word is edifice. The Parthenon is the most famous surviving edifice of ancient Greece. Edifice.

VISHNU VISWESWARAN: Edifice. E-D-I-F-I-C-E, edifice.

ANNOUNCER: Correct.

CHAIRPERSON 1: David Amarinei.

ANNOUNCER: Your word is recipient. He was the recipient of last year's Nobel Peace Prize. Recipient.

DAVID AMARINEI: Recipient. R-E-C-I-P-I-E-N-T, recipient.

ANNOUNCER: Correct.

CHAIRPERSON 1: We will now move on to round 9. Malachy Roberts.

ANNOUNCER: Your word is surmise. The journalist was led to surmise that the prime minister would call an election. Surmise.

MALACHY ROBERTS: Summise. S-U-M-M-I-SE. Summise.

ANNOUNCER: I'm sorry. That's incorrect. Surmise is spelled S-U-R-M-I-S-E.

CHAIRPERSON 1: Wilson Han.

ANNOUNCER: Your word is onerous. It was not an onerous task, but it seemed to take ages to finish. Onerous.

WILSON HAN: Onerous. O-N-E-R-O-U-S, onerous.

ANNOUNCER: Correct.

CHAIRPERSON 1: Neeti Pandya.

ANNOUNCER: Your word is commandeer. The police decided to commandeer my car so that they could chase the criminal. Commandeer.

NEETI PANDYA: Commandeer. C-O-M-M-E-N-D-I-- can I start again, please?

ANNOUNCER: Yes, of course.

NEETI PANDYA: C-O-M-M-E-N-D-E-E-R, commendeer.

ANNOUNCER: And I'm sorry. That's incorrect. Commandeer is spelled C-O-M-M-A-N-D-E-E-R. Commandeer. Thank you. Well done.

CHAIRPERSON 1: Vishnu Visweswaran.

ANNOUNCER: Your word is discipline. I took my dog to a training school to improve her discipline. Discipline.

VISHNU VISWESWARAN: D-I-C-I-P-L-I-N-E. Wait, may I restart, please?

ANNOUNCER: Yes, of course.

VISHNU VISWESWARAN: D-I-S-C-I-P-- sorry, can I restart again too?

ANNOUNCER: Yes, of course.

VISHNU VISWESWARAN: D-I-S-C-I-P-L-I-N-E, discipline.

ANNOUNCER: You're correct.

CHAIRPERSON 1: David Amarinei.

ANNOUNCER: Your word is etiquette. We were taught the etiquette of addressing the governor when she visited our school. Etiquette.

DAVID AMARINEI: Etiquette. E-T-T-I-Q-U-E-T-T-E, ettiquette.

ANNOUNCER: And I'm sorry. That's incorrect. So close. There's one T at the start. E-T-I-Q-U-E-T-T-E, etiquette.

DAVID AMARINEI: Thank you.

ANNOUNCER: Thank you. Well done.

CHAIRPERSON 1: We will now move on to round number 10. Wilson Han.

ANNOUNCER: Your word is askance or askance. I realised that I had said something wrong when the teacher looked askance at me. Askance or askance.

WILSON HAN: Askance or askance. A-S-K-A-N-C-E, askance.

ANNOUNCER: Correct.

CHAIRPERSON 1: Vishnu Visweswaran.

ANNOUNCER: Your word is quandary. I'm in a quandary about what to wear to this fancy dress party. Quandary.

VISHNU VISWESWARAN: Can you repeat the word, please?

ANNOUNCER: Quandary. I'm in a quandary about what to wear to this fancy dress party. Quandary.

VISHNU VISWESWARAN: Quandary. Q-U-A-N-D-E-R-Y, quandery.

ANNOUNCER: I'm sorry. That's incorrect. Quandary is spelled Q-U-A-N-D-A-R-Y. There's no E. Thank you. Well done.

[applause]

CHAIRPERSON 1: Ladies and gentlemen, I declare Wilson Han from St Ives North Public School the senior state champion of the 2022 Premier's Spelling Bee.

[applause]

TAMARA READS: We are thrilled to have the Honourable Sarah Mitchell, Minister for Education and Early Learning, joining us just in time to hear the final exciting rounds and to make this presentations, joined by Dr. James Curran from Grok. Ladies and gentlemen, today's runner up Vishnu Visweswaran from John Palmer Public School.

[applause]

And please congratulate today's winner who spelt a number of words that I would have been stumped on. Wilson Han from St Ives North Public School. Congratulations, Wilson.

[applause]

The senior state champion of the 2022 spelling bee.

[applause]

That concludes the state final for the senior Premier's Spelling Bee for 2022. Thank you all for coming.

[applause]

DOMINIC PERROTTET: Hi, everyone. Just a quick message to apologise for missing the final of the Premier Spelling Bee. I would have loved to have been there, but sadly, I was needed in another part of the state that day that has been impacted by the floods. I've checked, though, on how the day went and I heard there was a lot of impressive talent on display tackling a lot of tricky words. This is really exciting as literacy skills and vocabulary are such an important component in education. And I encourage all students to keep up their reading and spelling skills.

A huge thank you to all the participants in this challenge. I hope you all enjoyed it. And keep up your hard work, learning new words. Can I congratulate the junior winner Saarth Deo, a Year 4 student at Wentworthville Public, and also to Wilson Han, a Year 6 student from St Ives North, who won the senior award. A brilliant job and well done to all the schools for participating and supporting you on this journey. I wish you all the very best in the future.