8th-grader wins Leeward spelling bee
By Will Hoover
Advertiser Leeward O'ahu Writer
KAPOLEI — Trisha Liu spelled "thievery" on her final word and stole the show last night at The Honolulu Advertiser Spelling Bee's Leeward District contest at Kapolei Middle School.
Liu, 13, an eighth-grader at Kapolei Middle School, and runner-up Christian Tomas of Highlands Intermediate advance to the State Spelling Bee, which will be shown on KFVE at 5 p.m. March 30.
Eleven students participated in the Leeward bee. The competition was marked by some friendly sibling rivalry between brothers Chad Tomas, 14, and Christian Tomas, 13, of Highlands Intermediate, and twins Carmen and Alexandra Granger, 13, of the Iroquois Point Home School Association.
After four rounds, only Liu and Christian Tomas were left. In Round 7, Tomas, a seventh-grader, misspelled "inadvertently," while Liu spelled "destitute" and, in the validation round, "thievery."
Liu is the daughter of Richard and Louise Liu.
The 14 district winners will receive gifts from Sears, Island Heritage, Consolidated Theatres and Anderson News Co.
