St. Patrick student wins Honolulu bee

By Suzanne Roig
Advertiser East Honolulu Writer

KAIMUKI — Radiant Cordero, an eighth-grader at St. Patrick School, walked away with the district title as the best speller, a first for the school in more than a decade, at The Honolulu Advertiser 2004 Honolulu District Spelling Bee.

Honolulu District champ Radiant Cordero, an eighth-grader at St. Patrick School, and runner-up Irwin Jiang, an eighth-grader at Cathedral School, advanced to the State Spelling Bee on March 14 at Windward Community College. Bruce Asato • The Honolulu Advertiser

"I just remember the words and then can spell them," Cor-dero said. "I see them in my head. I didn't really study, only when my mom made me."

While other children were riding their bikes, going to the beach, playing soccer or just vegging at home, 30 students from the Honolulu District competed in the annual spelling bee. Irwin Jiang, an eighth-grader from Cathedral School, came in second. He misspelled "pharmacognosy" by missing just one letter.

This was Jiang's second spelling bee. Last year he came in third place. "I'll never forget that word," the 12-year-old Jiang said. "I like spelling a little bit."

Cordero and Jiang will go on to the State Spelling Bee at 1 p.m. March 14 at Windward Community College. In between, the Kaua'i, Windward, Central, Maui, Leeward and Hawai'i districts will hold their spelling bees. Finalists will advance to the state competition and the winner will compete in the 77th Annual Scripps Howard National Spelling Bee May 26 to 28 in Washington, D.C.

During the two-hour bee, students wrung their hands, tugged on their clothes and stepped from foot to foot in nervousness. Parents and supporters sat silently, watching as the students grappled with such words as emulsify, versatile, adrenal, kestrel and gossamer.

"I'll be doing a lot of spelling between now and March 14," Cordero said.

Reach Suzanne Roig at sroig@honoluluadvertiser.com or 395-8831.