Video transcript
NSW Premier's Spelling Bee 2023 - Junior State Final

[intro music]

JADE ARNOLD: Good morning, ladies and gentlemen and our students. My name is Jade Arnold, the NSW Premier's Programs Officer for reading and spelling at the Arts Unit, with the Department of Education. I have great pleasure in welcoming you to the Eugene Goossens Hall for this year's junior state final of the Premier's Spelling Bee.

We acknowledge that we meet on the homelands of the Gadigal people. We pay respect to Elders past and present and extend that respect to other Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people here today.

Our student officials chairing the final today are from Epping Public School, accompanied by their teacher, Joanne Zammit.

KEITH: It is now my pleasure to introduce our announcer for the competition, Miss Indira Naidoo.

[applause]

INDIRA NAIDOO: It is such an honour to have been asked to be an announcer for today's NSW Premier's Spelling Bee, the junior category. I know a little bit about how our finalists must be feeling. When I was 9 years old, I was a finalist at the spelling bee in my state of Tasmania, and it was very nerve-racking because it was actually filmed on television as well.

So it was the first time I was on television, and I was also doing the spelling bee. I got very nervous and very sweaty, and the very first word, I got wrong. It was the word 'thigh', and suffice to say, I know how to say that word now. I'll never forget how to spell that word.

But when I was going through the list of words that I'm going to read for our finalists today, I just want to reassure them that just to get to this stage is an amazing achievement. Some of those words that I will have to pronounce, I had trouble with, the ones that you're going to have to spell. So you've already reached an amazing level of achievement. So congratulations being here.

[applause]

For this practice round, I will introduce each contestant, in turn, and they will then be asked to spell their practice word. All right, here we go. Our first contestant in our practice word round is Heidi Song.

[applause]

Hello, Heidi. Now, Heidi, you're a 9-year-old from North Rocks Public School whose passions range from art and literature to fencing and basketball. Heidi loves Rick Riordan books because they're the perfect mix of mythology and the present. Art holds a special place in Heidi's heart, as her favourite subject in school, allowing her to express herself in ways words cannot capture.

All right, Heidi. Lovely to meet you. This is your practice word, 'art'. 'Heidi can't wait to finish her swimming lessons so she can work on her favourite art piece.' Art.

HEIDI SONG: Art. A-R-T, art.

INDIRA NAIDOO: Correct. Thank you, Heidi.

[applause]

Introducing Jay-Hanz Mesa.

[applause]

Jay-Hanz is a 7-year-old from Cabramatta Public School who has a thing for numbers and a sweet tooth for candies. He's surrounded by love and joy with his mum and dad and 3 sisters. Above all, he admires his mum who, in his words, loves him more than anyone else in the world.

[laughter]

I don't know if you might need to move that microphone a little down. But let's see how it goes. Your practice word, Jay-Hanz, is 'dream'. 'Jay-Hanz's dream for the future is to become an engineer.' Dream.

JAY-HANZ MESA: Dream. D-R-E-A-M, dream.

INDIRA NAIDOO: Excellent. Well done.

[applause]

So sweet. Our next contestant is Divyansh Bhowmick. Divyansh--

[applause]

--is a 4 Year student at Epping Public School. In his spare time, Divyansh likes to play with his friends, travel, read his favourite books, and, of course, win competitions. Divyansh has noble ambitions to end global hunger, and so he could have a superpower-- so if he could have one, it would be to produce an unlimited amount of food for the hungry.

Divyansh, your practice word is 'book'. Your sentence, 'In his spare time, Divyansh enjoys reading his favourite book, "Fantastic Mr. Fox''.' Book.

DIVYANSH BHOWMICK: Book. B-O-O-K, book.

INDIRA NAIDOO: Correct.

[applause]

Our next finalist is Jesminda Wells.

[applause]

Just come up to the microphone. Welcome, Jesminda. You are in Year 4 at Emu Heights Public School. Some of your interests include painting and animals. You're also a bit of a wordsmith. One of your favourite subjects in school is English, so not surprising you're here, and Jesminda hopes to one day use her passion for words to become a lawyer.

Jesminda, your practice word is 'law', and the sentence, 'When Jesminda finishes school, she hopes to practise law.' Law.

JESMINDA WELLS: Law. L-A-W, law.

INDIRA NAIDOO: Correct.

[applause]

Welcome our next contestant, Esther Cooney-Button.

[applause]

Hi, Esther. Esther is a Year 4 student at Bulli Public School. She loves dogs, playing soccer and eating tiramisu. Just like me. As an avid soccer fan, Esther dislikes when the Matildas lose. Esther is a bit Matildas-obsessed. The person she admires most is Sam Kerr because Esther believes Sam is an amazing role model for women and girls and that she's the best striker ever.

Esther, your practice word is 'soccer'. Your sentence, 'One day, Esther will play for the Matildas and become the best soccer player in the world!' Soccer.

ESTHER COONEY-BUTTON: Soccer. S-O-C-C-E-R, soccer.

INDIRA NAIDOO: Correct.

[applause]

Our next finalist is Ryan Chap.

[applause]

Welcome, Ryan. Ryan is 9 years old and attends Mulgoa Public School. He has a fondness for lollies, books, salmon and soccer. But he really doesn't enjoy broccoli, cabbage or lettuce. If he could have any superpower, it would be teleportation, which would let him travel to any place in an instant. Maths is his favourite subject in school, and he loves reading books by his favourite author, Ahn Do.

Ryan, your practice word is 'blink'. 'In the blink of an eye, Ryan could teleport to explore new and wonderful places.' Blink.

RYAN CHAP: Blink. B-L-I-N-K, blink.

INDIRA NAIDOO: Correct.

[applause]

Meet Loki Scott.

[applause]

Hello, Loki. Loki is in Year 3 at Bolwarra Public School. In his spare time, Loki enjoys playing rugby, handball, eating donuts and hanging out with his friends. The person he admires most comes from his favourite NRL team, the Newcastle Knights. He admires Kalyn Ponga because he's not only a good football player, he's also a good person.

Loki, your practice word is 'rugby', and the sentence, 'Loki enjoys both playing and watching rugby in his spare time.' Rugby.

LOKI SCOTT: Rugby. R-U-G-B-Y, rugby.

INDIRA NAIDOO: Correct.

[applause]

And our next contestant has a great first name. Please meet Indira Luddington.

[applause]

Hello, Indira. [chuckles] It feels quite funny. Indira is in Year 4 at Pottsville Beach Public School. She loves to eat ice cream. But much to our surprise, she dislikes chocolate. Indira loves surfing, and the person she admires most is Bethany Hamilton. She can take off at 10-foot Cloudbreak with only one arm. Pretty impressive.

Indira, your practice word is 'surf', and your sentence is, 'Indira hopes to be just as brave and surf just as well as Bethany.' Surf.

INDIRA LUDDINGTON: Surf. S-U-R-F, surf.

INDIRA NAIDOO: Correct.

[applause]

Next, please meet Richard Li.

[applause]

Hi, Richard. Richard is in Year 4, a student at Chatswood Public School. In his spare time, Richard likes to play with his Lego. In fact, Richard is Lego-obsessed. His favourite movie is 'The Lego Movie', and his favourite song, 'Everything is Awesome', comes from 'The Lego Movie' soundtrack.

Richard, your practice word is Lego, and the sentence, 'Richard wants to be a Lego grandmaster when he grows up.' Lego.

RICHARD LI: Lego, L-E-G-O, Lego.

INDIRA NAIDOO: Correct.

[applause]

Our next finalist is Albie Magnus, who is a Year 4 student at Neutral Bay Public School.

[applause]

Welcome, Albie. Albie's a bit of a foodie. His favourite foods are galettes and crepes. When he's not impressing us with his spelling, you can find Albie reading books written by his favourite author, JK Rowling.

Albie, your practice word is 'food', and the sentence is, 'After today's spelling bee, Albie wants to sit down to a big plate of his favourite food.' Food.

ALBIE MAGNUS: Food. F-O-O-D, food.

INDIRA NAIDOO: Correct, Albie.

[applause]

Our next contestant is Tamanna Gupta.

[applause]

Welcome, Tamanna. Tamanna is a 10-year-old student at Ngarala Public School with a keen interest in art, science and reading and hopes to become a computer engineer one day. Her family, consisting of her mum, dad and younger sister, are the people she admires the most for their caring nature, hard work and sense of humour. The thing she dislikes the most are cockroaches. You and me both.

Your practice word, Tamanna, is 'spray', and the sentence, 'Tamanna reaches for the bug spray as soon as she sees a cockroach.' Spray.

TAMANNA GUPTA: Spray, S-P-R-A-Y, spray.

INDIRA NAIDOO: Correct, well done.

[applause]

Our next contestant is Nicholas Banaag.

[applause]

Welcome, Nicholas. Nicholas is a Year 4 student from Marayong Public School. He enjoys history and reading and playing basketball and soccer. The person Nicholas admires most is Abraham Lincoln, as he serves as a symbol of peace and prosperity after ending slavery in America. When Nicholas grows up, he wants to become a dermatologist.

Nicholas, your practice word is 'skin', and the sentence, 'When Nicholas leaves school, he wants to become a dermatologist, a doctor of the skin.' Skin.

NICHOLAS BANAAG: Skin. S-K-I-N, skin.

INDIRA NAIDOO: Skin, correct.

[applause]

Our next finalist is Aarav Bansal.

[applause]

Hello, Aarav.

AARAV BANSAL: Hello.

INDIRA NAIDOO: Now, you're a Year 4 student at Kellyville Ridge Public School. In your spare time, Aarav enjoys reading, playing badminton, watching movies and hanging out with his friends. The person he admires most is his nanu, or grandad. Aarav's nanu used to be a fighter pilot, and Aarav hopes to one day follow in his footsteps.

Your practice word, Arav, is 'jet'. Your sentence, 'Aarav hopes to one day fly a fighter jet just like his nanu.' Jet.

AARAV BANSAL: Jet. J-E-T, jet.

INDIRA NAIDOO: Yes, well done.

[applause]

Our next finalist is a Year 4 student at Hamilton South Public School. Please meet Maya Thiruchelvam.

[applause]

Hello, Maya. Maya enjoys reading and going for long walks with her dad. Maya admires her dad the most, as he helps people every day in his job as a surgeon. He sometimes has to look after people on the weekends and overnight, and he never complains about it. Maya aims to be just as kind and caring as her dad.

Maya, your practice word is 'help', and your sentence, 'Just like her dad, Maya hopes to help others as a doctor.' Help.

MAYA THIRUCHELVAM: Help. H-E-L-P, help.

INDIRA NAIDOO: Correct.

[applause]

Now meet Sienna Kirkman.

[applause]

Hello, Sienna. Sienna is a Year 4 student from Coolamon Central School. She is an avid reader and enjoys spelling, art and writing. She also enjoys riding her bike, spending time with her family and learning about technology. The person she admires most is her nana. Her nana is kind and takes time to understand and listen to her feelings.

Sienna, your practice word is 'kind', and the sentence, 'Sienna believes in always being kind to others.' Kind.

SIENNA KIRKMAN: Kind. K-I-N-D, kind.

INDIRA NAIDOO: Correct.

[applause]

And next, our next finalist is Aydin Siddiqui.

AYDIN SIDDIQUI: It's Aydin Siddiqui.

INDIRA NAIDOO: Oh, OK. Sorry about that, Aydin. Aydin is a 9-year-old puzzle cracker and book lover from Padstow Park Public School. He enjoys solving tricky crosswords, assembling puzzles, playing lively console games with his siblings and relishing a slice or 2 of delicious pizza. He shares his laughter and learns life's little lessons with his father, mother and 3 siblings.

Aydin, your practice word is 'flash'. 'If Aydin could have a superpower, it would be superintelligence so he could learn new things in a flash.' Flash.

AYDIN SIDDIQUI: Flash. F-L-A-S-H, flash.

INDIRA NAIDOO: Correct.

[applause]

Our next contestant is Gurfateh Singh.

[applause]

Hello, Gurfateh. Gurfateh is in Year 4, a student at Parramatta East Public School. In his spare time, he enjoys playing guitar and coding. He has an affinity for maths and science, and when he leaves school, he wants to become a neurosurgeon. Gurfateh is a little tired of coming second best in the cross country. So if he could have one superpower, it would be super speed.

Gurfateh, your practice word is 'win'. The sentence, 'One day, Gurfateh hopes to win his school's cross country.' Win.

GURFATEH SINGH: Win. W-I-N, win

INDIRA NAIDOO: Correct.

[applause]

Now let's meet Lachlan Latimer.

[applause]

Hello, Lachlan. Lachlan is a 10-year-old game enthusiast and budding musician from Ashfield Public School. However, you won't catch him near bananas or corn. Definitely not his favourites. He's brought his whole class along for support today. Yes, we can hear them. His closeknit family includes his mum, dad and brother who share his joys and adventures. He holds a special admiration for his oma, who is his constant support.

Lachlan, your practice word is 'fly', and the sentence, 'If Lachlan could have a superpower, it would be the ability to fly through the clouds'. Fly.

LACHLAN LATIMER: Fly. F-L-Y, fly.

INDIRA NAIDOO: Correct.

[applause]

All right, now our next finalist, meet Albert van Niekerk.

[applause]

Albert is a Year 4 student at Umina Beach Public School. Albert likes his sport. He's very passionate about running. He's a hard-working student who loves maths, science, English and reading. Johan Cruyff is his greatest soccer inspiration. One day, he wishes to play just like him.

Albert, your practice word is 'community'. 'He is a well-known member of our local community.' Community.

ALBERT VAN NIEKERK: Community. C-O-M-M-U-N-I-T-Y, community.

INDIRA NAIDOO: Correct. Well done, Albert.

[applause]

Now meet Milla Clarke.

[applause]

Milla, welcome. You're a Year 4 student at Balgowlah Heights Public School. In her spare time, Milla enjoys playing with her pets, spending time with friends and playing as part of the team. Milla is an avid reader and dislikes when books end on a cliffhanger, especially when she doesn't have the next book in the series. Milla admires persistence, so the person she admires the most is JK Rowling. JK Rowling tried to get her book published 12 times and never gave up.

Milla, your practice word is 'write'. The sentence, 'When Milla finishes school, she wants to write books just like JK Rowling.' Write.

MILLA CLARKE: Write. W-R-I-T-E, write.

INDIRA NAIDOO: Correct.

[applause]

Next, please welcome William Weatherall.

[applause]

Hello, William. William is in Year 4 at Coonabarabran Public School and was a 2022 state finalist when he was in Year 3. He enjoys hanging out with friends, playing board games and spending time with family. Family is important to William. The person he admires most is his mum for her kindness, humour and caring nature. William loves his sport. His favourite subject in school is PE.

William, your practice word is 'active', and the sentence, 'William likes to keep active playing cricket and participating in PE at school.' Active.

WILLIAM WEATHERALL: Active. A-C-T-I-V-E, active.

INDIRA NAIDOO: Correct.

[applause]

Now meet Quincy McCormack.

[applause]

Hello, Quincy. Quincy is a dynamic 10-year-old student at Otford Public School who loves skiing down slopes, chilling with cats and exploring the bush. His adventures in school, in his life, are shared with his mum and dad who are always there to cheer him on. If he could choose a superpower, it would definitely be invisibility so he could sneak up and surprise his friends. He's got his sights set on travelling the world, experiencing new places, cultures and adventures.

Quincy, your practice word is 'maths', and the sentence, 'Quincy has a long list of favourite things, but maths and risotto don't make it onto that list'.' Maths.

QUINCY MCCORMACK: Maths. M-A-T-H-S, maths.

INDIRA NAIDOO: Correct.

[applause]

Our next finalist is Rory Woelfle.

[applause]

Hello, Rory. Rory's in Year 3 at Farmborough Public School. He loves to play soccer in his spare time. He's more of an art aficionado. He isn't the biggest fan of science. The person he admires most is his friend Lucas, who he knows from preschool. He hopes they can be lifelong friends.

Rory, your practice word is 'goal'. 'Rory's career goal is to become a professional soccer player.' Goal.

RORY WOELFLE: Goal. G-O-A-L, goal.

INDIRA NAIDOO: Correct.

[applause]

Our next finalist is Bobby Ivaneza, who is in Year 3.

[applause]

Hello, Bobby. Bobby is in Year 3 at Annandale Public School. Some of his hobbies include playing soccer and reading his favourite books. His favourite subject in school is science, and the person Bobby admires most is Nikola Tesla, who he describes as the best inventor ever. When he leaves school, Bobby wants to pursue a career as an F1 driver.

Bobby, your practice word is 'car', and the sentence, 'When he grows up, Bobby wants nothing more than to drive an F1 car, just like Lewis Hamilton.' Car.

BOBBY IVANEZA: Car. C-A-R, car.

INDIRA NAIDOO: Correct, well done.

[applause]

All right, now meet Queeness Gutierrez.

[applause]

Queeness is a 10-year-old star at Bexley Public School who absolutely loves to sing and dance her heart out but hates bitter melon. She is surrounded by the love and laughter of her mum, dad and cheeky little brother. She's inspired by Demi Lovato, whose powerful tunes motivate her to belt out songs and chase her dreams.

Queeness, this is your practice word, 'melon', and the sentence, 'Queeness would be happy if she never had to eat a bitter melon again.' Melon.

QUEENESS GUTIERREZ: Melon. M-E-L-O-N, melon.

INDIRA NAIDOO: Correct.

[applause]

Now say hello to Jackson Lu.

[applause]

Welcome, Jackson. Jackson is a 10-year-old from Pagewood Public School who loves to get lost in books, play soccer and swim. However, rainy days are a bit of a dampener for him. He'd rather have the sun shining. His family, consisting of his mum, dad and a fun little sister, are his biggest fans and supporters.

Jackson, your practice word is 'brain', and the sentence, 'When he's older, Jackson hopes to explore the wonders of the human brain as a neurosurgeon.' Brain.

JACKSON LU: Brain. B-R-A-I-N, brain.

INDIRA NAIDOO: Correct, well done.

[applause]

Now our next finalist, please meet Emily Hammond.

[applause]

Hello, Emily. Emily is a 10-year-old from Tamworth South Public School who has a big love for strawberries. She shares her laughs and days with her mum, nan, pop and granny and thinks her mum is the best because of her kind heart. She really enjoys learning cool stuff in science class, exploring how the world works.

Emily, your practice word is 'city', and the sentence, 'Emily prefers exploring the beauty of nature far from the busy rush of city.' City.

EMILY HAMMOND: City. C-I-T-Y, city.

INDIRA NAIDOO: Correct.

[applause]

INDIRA NAIDOO: All right, to our next contestant, Saanvi Gadkar.

[applause]

Saanvi, welcome. Saanvi is a 10-year-old student at John Palmer Public School. She is passionate about reading books, and her favourite subject is English but has a strong aversion to insects. Saanvi has a closeknit family, consisting of her loving father and mother, who she admires deeply, considering them to be the best.

Saanvi, your practice word is 'time', and your sentence, 'If Saanvi could choose one superpower, it would be the ability to travel through time.' Time.

SAANVI GADKAR: Time. T-I-M-E, time.

INDIRA NAIDOO: Correct.

[applause]

Now say hi to Joshua Quek.

[applause]

Welcome, Joshua. Now, Joshua is a 10-year-old bookworm and soccer enthusiast from Putney Public School. He loves diving into the magical world of Harry Potter and battling it out in video games. His lively household includes his mum, dad, sister, brother, a playful dog, fluffy bunnies and clucking chickens, and he one day hopes to become an engineer.

Joshua, your practice word is 'guide', and the sentence, 'Joshua looks up to his dad as a wise and helpful guide, especially because he's helped him practise for the spelling bee.' Guide.

JOSHUA QUEK: Guide. G-U-I-D-E, guide.

INDIRA NAIDOO: Correct.

[applause]

And our last finalist is Lucy Turnock.

[applause]

Lucy is in Year 4 at Mittagong Public School. Welcome, Lucy. Lucy enjoys camping, playing piano and violin and roller skating. As much as Lucy loves the great outdoors, she doesn't like the mosquitoes that come with it. When Lucy leaves school, she wants to pass down her knowledge of music to future generations by becoming a music teacher.

Lucy's practice word is 'bow'. 'Lucy delicately tightened the hair on her violin bow, ensuring it was ready for her evening practice.' Bow.

LUCY TURNOCK: Bow. B-O-W, bow.

INDIRA NAIDOO: Correct, Lucy.

[applause]

All right, well that concludes the practice round. Well done, everyone. Now we will start the elimination rounds. I will now hand back to our student officials from Epping Public School. You've already met Esha and Keith, our chairpersons today. Tom der Hertog and Aarika Bhatia are our tag team timekeepers and elimination trackers keeping track of contestants.

KEITH: May I now call to the microphone Heidi Song from North Rocks Public School.

INDIRA NAIDOO: Your first word is 'chickenpox'. 'These days, you can be vaccinated against chickenpox.' Chickenpox.

HEIDI SONG: Chickenpox. C-H-I-C-K-E-N-P-O-X, chickenpox.

INDIRA NAIDOO: Correct.

[applause]

KEITH: May I call to the microphone Jay-Hanz Mesa.

INDIRA NAIDOO: Alibi. 'Jeffrey was no longer considered a suspect because he had an alibi.' Alibi.

JAY-HANZ MESA: Alibi. A-L-I-B-I, alibi.

INDIRA NAIDOO: Correct.

[applause]

KEITH: May I call to the microphone Divyansh Bhowmik from Epping Public School.

INDIRA NAIDOO: Serenade. 'The prince wooed the maiden with a serenade he had composed himself.' Serenade.

DIVYANSH BHOWMICK: Serenade. C-E-R-E-N-A-D-E, serenade.

INDIRA NAIDOO: Not correct. I'm sorry. The correct spelling is S-E-R-E-N-A-D-E.

KEITH: May I call to the microphone Jesminda Wells from Emu Heights Public School.

INDIRA NAIDOO: Portray. 'The film is meant to portray the absolute waste of war.' Portray.

JESMINDA WELLS: Portray. P-O-R-T-R-A-Y, portray.

INDIRA NAIDOO: Correct.

[applause]

KEITH: May I call to the microphone Esther Cooney Button from Bulli Public School.

INDIRA NAIDOO: Polyester. 'These sheets are made of a mixture of polyester and cotton.' Polyester.

ESTHER COONEY BUTTON: Polyester. P-O-L-Y-E-S-T-E-R.

INDIRA NAIDOO: Correct.

[applause]

KEITH: May I call to the microphone Ryan Chap from Mulgoa Public School.

INDIRA NAIDOO: Dynamite. 'Dynamite is a dangerous substance made up from nitroglycerin and other materials.' Dynamite.

RYAN CHAP: Dynamite. D-Y-N-A-M-I-T-E, dynamite.

JADE ARNOLD: Correct.

[applause]

KEITH: May I call to the microphone Loki Scott from Bolwarra Public School.

INDIRA NAIDOO: Geology. 'I would like to study geology to know more about rocks.' Geology.

LOKI SCOTT: Geology. G-E-O-L-O-G-Y, geology.

INDIRA NAIDOO: Correct.

KEITH: May I call to the microphone Indira Luddington from Pottsville Beach Public School.

INDIRA NAIDOO: Terrible. 'She had a terrible pain in her leg after walking into the table.' Terrible.

INDIRA LUDDINGTON: Terrible. T-E-R-R-I-B-L-E, terrible.

INDIRA NAIDOO: Correct.

KEITH: May I call to the microphone Richard Li from Chatswood Public School.

INDIRA NAIDOO: Quadrangle. 'In the corner of the quadrangle is a jacaranda tree.' Quadrangle.

RICHARD LI: Quadrangle. Q-U-A-D-R-A-N-G-L-E, quadrangle.

INDIRA NAIDOO: Correct.

[applause]

KEITH: May I now call to the stage Albie Magnus from Neutral Bay Public School.

INDIRA NAIDOO: Foliage. 'In autumn, the foliage of some trees turn orange and red.' Foliage.

ALBIE MAGNUS: Foliage. F-O-L-I-A-G-E, foliage.

INDIRA NAIDOO: Correct.

KEITH: May I now call to the microphone Tamanna Gupta from Ngarala Public School.

INDIRA NAIDOO: Dangerous. 'Toys with small parts are dangerous for very young children.' Dangerous.

TAMANNA GUPTA: Dangerous. D-A-N-G-E-R-O-U-S, dangerous.

INDIRA NAIDOO: Correct.

[applause]

KEITH: May I now call to the microphone Nicholas Banaag from Marayong Public School.

INDIRA NAIDOO: Erosion. 'Planting trees can help stop soil erosion because the roots hold the soil together.' Erosion.

NICHOLAS BANAAG: Erosion. E-R-O-S-I-O-N, erosion.

INDIRA NAIDOO: Correct.

[applause]

KEITH: May I call to the microphone Aarav Bansal from Kellyville Ridge Public School.

INDIRA NAIDOO: Merciful. 'The king wasn't known for being merciful to his subjects.' Merciful.

AARAV BANSAL: Merciful. M-E-R-C-I-F-U-L, merciful.

INDIRA NAIDOO: Correct.

[applause]

KEITH: May I call to the microphone Maya Thiruchelvam from Hamilton South Public School.

INDIRA NAIDOO: Occasion. 'The teacher said that on this occasion she would give us extra time to get our homework done.' Occasion.

MAYA THIRUCHELVAM: Occasion. O-C-C-A-S-I-O-N, occasion.

INDIRA NAIDOO: Correct.

KEITH: May I call to the microphone Sienna Kirkman from Coolamon Central School.

INDIRA NAIDOO: Mayor. 'The mayor welcomed the visiting dignitaries at the town hall.' Mayor.

SIENNA KIRKMAN: Mayor. M-A-Y-O-R, mayor.

INDIRA NAIDOO: Correct.

ESHA: May I call to the microphone Aydin Siddiqui from Padstow Park Public School.

INDIRA NAIDOO: Corrosive. 'If you spill that corrosive acid on the metal, it will eat away the surface.' Corrosive.

AYDIN SIDDIQUI: Corrosive. C-O-R-R-O-S-I-V-E, corrosive.

INDIRA NAIDOO: Correct.

[applause]

ESHA: May I call to the microphone Gurfateh Singh from Parramatta East Public School.

INDIRA NAIDOO: Polygon. 'A hexagon is one example of a polygon.' Polygon.

GURFATEH SINGH: Polygon. P-O-L-Y-G-O-N, polygon.

INDIRA NAIDOO: Correct.

ESHA: May I call to the microphone Lachlan Latimer from Ashfield Public School.

INDIRA NAIDOO: Envious. 'He was envious of his sister's success at the swimming carnival.' Envious.

LACHLAN LATIMER: Envious. E-N-V-I-O-U-S, envious.

INDIRA NAIDOO: Correct.

[applause]

ESHA: May I call to the microphone Albert van Niekerk from Umina Beach Public School.

INDIRA NAIDOO: Diagonal. 'If you draw a diagonal line between the opposite corners of a square, you will make 2 triangles.' Diagonal.

ALBERT VAN NIEKERK: Diagonal. D-I-A-G-O-N-A-L, diagonal.

INDIRA NAIDOO: Correct.

ESHA: May I call to the microphone Milla Clarke from Balgowlah Heights Public School.

INDIRA NAIDOO: Webinar. 'All we needed to join the webinar was a good internet connection.' Webinar.

MILLA CLARKE: Webinar. W-E-B-I-N-A-R, webinar.

INDIRA NAIDOO: Correct.

ESHA: May I call to the microphone William Weatherall from Coonabarabran Public School.

INDIRA NAIDOO: Gallery. 'There is a display of local Indigenous art in the city gallery.' Gallery.

WILLIAM WEATHERALL: Gallery. G-A-L-L-E-R-Y, gallery.

INDIRA NAIDOO: Correct.

ESHA: May I call to the microphone Quincy McCormack from Otford Public School.

INDIRA NAIDOO: Activist. 'My uncle is an activist for peace.' Activist.

QUINCY MCCORMACK: Activist. A-C-T-I-V-I-S-T, activist.

INDIRA NAIDOO: Correct.

ESHA: May I call to the microphone Rory Woelfle from Farnborough Road Public School.

INDIRA NAIDOO: Widget. 'I have a widget on my computer that counts down the days to the soccer World Cup.' Widget.

RORY WOELFLE: Widget. W-I-D-G-E-T, widget.

INDIRA NAIDOO: Correct.

ESHA: May I call to the microphone Bobby Ivaneza from Annandale Public School

INDIRA NAIDOO: Fraction. 'At school we are learning how to multiply a number by a fraction.' Fraction.

BOBBY IVANEZA: Fraction. F-R-A-C-T-I-O-N, fraction.

INDIRA NAIDOO: Correct.

ESHA: May I call to the microphone Queeness Gutierrez from Bexley Public School.

INDIRA NAIDOO: Beacon. 'The lighthouse beacon had prevented many shipwrecks.' Beacon.

QUEENESS GUTIERREZ: Beacon. B-E-A-C-O-N, beacon.

INDIRA NAIDOO: Correct.

ESHA: May I call to the microphone Jackson Lu from Pagewood Public School.

INDIRA NAIDOO: Witness. 'Because Mum was the first witness on the scene of the accident, the police wanted to ask her lots of questions.' Witness.

JACKSON LU: Witness. W-I-T-N-E-S-S, witness.

INDIRA NAIDOO: Correct.

ESHA: May I call to the microphone Emily Hammond from Tamworth South Public School.

INDIRA NAIDOO: Petition. 'We signed a petition to the government.' Petition.

EMILY HAMMOND: Petition. P-E-T-I-T-I-O-N, petition.

INDIRA NAIDOO: Correct.

ESHA: May I call to the microphone Saanvi Gadkar from John Palmer Public School.

INDIRA NAIDOO: Opponent. 'My opponent was much taller than me, so I was very nervous.' Opponent.

SAANVI GADKAR: Opponent. O-P-P-O-N-E-N-T, opponent.

INDIRA NAIDOO: Correct.

ESHA: May I call to the microphone Joshua Quek from Putney Public School.

INDIRA NAIDOO: Measles. 'Many children are vaccinated against measles these days.' Measles.

JOSHUA QUEK: Measles. M-E-A-S-L-E-S, measles.

INDIRA NAIDOO: Correct.

ESHA: And may I called to the microphone Lucy Turnock from Mittagong Public School.

INDIRA NAIDOO: Formula. 'The chemical formula for common salt is NaCl.' Formula.

LUCY TURNOCK: Formula. F-O-R-M-U-L-A, formula.

INDIRA NAIDOO: Correct. OK, that is the end of our first round.

[applause]

KEITH: I now call Maya.

INDIRA NAIDOO: Tortellini. 'Tortellini is my favourite type of pasta.'

MAYA THIRUCHELVAM: Tortellini. T-O-R-T-E-L-L-I-N-I, tortellini.

INDIRA NAIDOO: Correct.

[applause]

ESHA: I now call Joshua.

INDIRA NAIDOO: Amalgamate. 'The 2 companies decided to amalgamate and move to a new location.' Amalgamate.

JOSHUA QUEK: Amalgamate. E-M-E-L-G-A-M-A-T-E, amalgamate.

INDIRA NAIDOO: I'm afraid that is incorrect. Amalgamate--

[applause]

Amalgamate is spelled A-M-A-L-G-A-M-A-T-E.

Oh, so we have a winner. Maya, please step up to the microphone.

[cheering, applause]

Maya, congratulations.

MAYA THIRUCHELVAM: Thanks.

INDIRA NAIDOO: How did that feel?

MAYA THIRUCHELVAM: Really good, but--

INDIRA NAIDOO: [chuckle]

Was there any particular word that you had that you thought, 'Oh, I don't know if I'm going to be able to get this and get through the round?'

MAYA THIRUCHELVAM: Probably 'tortellini'.

INDIRA NAIDOO: Oh, 'tortellini'. I know. That was amazing. Well done. Congratulations. You're our new junior champ, NSW Premier's Spelling Bee.

[cheering, applause]

JADE ARNOLD: Wow, what a brutal ending, but congratulations. Before we start the official awards today, I wanted to take a quick moment to thank our chairpersons and our timers. Could I ask everyone to please give them a huge round of applause for making today happen?

[applause]

Ladies and gentlemen, please also show your appreciation for our phenomenal announcer today, Indira Naidoo, who, I'm sure you'll agree, has done a fantastic job.

[applause]

Now that our spelling has concluded for today, it is time for our final formalities, the awards. This has been a phenomenal day to watch. I have been a little intimidated at how phenomenal your spelling has been this morning, and that's a little embarrassing for me, given that I run this program. But a huge congratulations to each and every one of you. You've done a phenomenal job today, regardless of how you placed, and could I please ask our audience to give all of our contestants a round of applause?

[applause]

I have absolutely no doubt you've made your parents, your teachers and your peers very, very proud. In recognition of your efforts today, all of our state finalists will be receiving a medallion, a certificate of congratulations and a prize pack full of items generously provided by our sponsors and our supporters, and in addition to these, the state runner-up and our winner will receive some very special items.

I would now like to invite our special guest, the Honourable Prue Car, Deputy Premier Minister for Education and Early Learning, and the Minister for Western Sydney, to present the winner and the runner-up, along with Deb Summerhayes, the acting Deputy Secretary School Performance North and Cathy Brennan, the Deputy Secretary School Performance South.

Ladies and gentlemen, today's runner-up of the 2023 Junior Premier's Spelling Bee state finals is Joshua Quek, from Putney Public School. Congratulations, Joshua.

[applause]

Joshua, can you come up and receive your award, please?

Congratulations, again.

[applause]

And it gives me great pleasure to announce today's winner, the junior state champion of the 2023 Premier's Spelling Bee, Maya Thiruchelvam from Hamilton South Public School.

[applause]

Congratulations again, Maya. I think you're going to have to get very used to smiling today.

[applause]

Thank you very much to our very special guests, the Deputy Premier and the Secretary of the NSW Department of Education, and thank you to our student officials from Epic Public-- sorry, Epping-- though you are epic-- Public School, their teacher, Joanne Zammit, and our announcer, Indira Naidoo, our judges, all our sponsors and of course today's contestants, and, ladies and gentlemen, that concludes the 2023 junior state final of the Premier's Spelling Bee.

[applause, cheering]