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The Honolulu Advertiser

Posted on: Friday, February 11, 2005

Harry Potter fan top speller on Kaua'i

By Jan TenBruggencate
Advertiser Kaua'i Bureau

LIHU'E, Kaua'i — Cheslene Halog, a 12-year-old who loves Harry Potter books, won the Kaua'i Complex Area Spelling Bee last night, correctly spelling "quesadilla," "preemptive," "crouton" and "sierra."

Halog, a seventh-grader at Waimea Canyon School, and runner-up Natasha Abadilla, of Saint Theresa School, advance to The Honolulu Advertiser State Spelling Bee in Honolulu on March 13.

Halog said she learned to read at age 2, when her older brothers were learning. An avid reader, she said she has read each of the five Harry Potter books at least five times. She said she studied for the bee with her coach, Brian Godsill, a teacher at her school.

Abadilla, a 12-year-old seventh-grader, tripped on the word "lathe." She said she studied with Sister Delores Wisnicky, a Saint Theresa teacher.

Thirteen students from seven Kaua'i public and private schools participated in the bee, held at Chiefess Kamakahelei Middle School. They included Alia Aihara and Marc Abundo of Chiefess Kamakahelei, Chelsea Hill and Dylan Gilstein of Island School, Caitlin Valhuerdi and Ian Ross of Kahili Adventist School, Brynne Tagawa and Dylan Cockerham of Kapa'a Middle School, Martha Whitney of Kula Intermediate School, Aleina Emayo of Saint Theresa and Michael Haack of Waimea Canyon.

The finalists will receive prizes from Sears, Island Heritage, Consolidated Theatres and Enjoy Snacks.

The State Spelling Bee champion will win two free trips to Washington to compete in the Scripps National Spelling Bee in May. The state winner also will receive a $100 U.S. savings bond from Jay Sugarman. Merriam-Webster will donate dictionaries to the winner and the runner-up.

The national contestants will compete for cash prizes ranging from $50 to $12,000.

Supporting sponsors are AIG Hawai'i, KFC, Burger King, 7-Eleven, CompUSA and Aloha Airlines, which transports Neighbor Island participants.

Other prize sponsors include Radio Shack, Dede and James Sutherland, the Hawai'i Court Reporters and Captioners Association, and Scripps National Spelling Bee.