Lux sixth grade student wins 2023 annual Spelling Bee

"Venus is the most prominent vespertine planet," pronouncer Cyndy Maddox told Lumi Kim as she prepared to spell the winning word of the Lincoln Public Schools 2023 Oral Spelling Bee.

Prior to Lux sixth grade student Kim winning in round five, judges were checking the rules on how to proceed with the competition. In round four, with only three spellers left, Kim was the only speller to correctly spell their word. Both Libby Wilson and Lindsey Parrotto, seventh grade students from Irving Middle School had both misspelled their words in round four. By spelling vespertine correctly, thereby getting two words correct in a row, Kim was crowned the winner.

"I prepared a bit late," said Kim. "Winning feels good."

Wilson and Parrotto needed to participate in a spell-off to determine second place. Parrotto won second with the word gaff.

Kim is now entered into the Omaha World-Herald Midwest Spelling Bee in March, and the winner of that contest will be flown to Washington, D.C., to compete in the Scripps National Spelling Bee in May.

LPS co-sponsors the spelling bee with the Lincoln Journal Star.


Published: February 16, 2023, Updated: February 17, 2023