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

[intro music]

JADE ARNOLD: Good afternoon, ladies, gentlemen and our students. My name is Jade Arnold. I'm the NSW Premier's Programs Officer, Reading and Spelling, at the Arts Unit, and I have the great pleasure in welcoming you all to the Eugene Goossens Hall for this year's senior state final of the 2023 Premier's Spelling Bee.

Let me begin by acknowledging that we are on the traditional land of the Gadigal people of the Eora nation. I pay my respects to Elders past and present and extend that respect to all other Aboriginal people here today. Welcome to our 30 senior state finalists who have each won their regional final to be here today. I would also like to extend a warm welcome to the principals, the teachers, the fellow students and the families of finalists, many of whom have travelled from all over the state to attend this afternoon's final. It is a phenomenal achievement to have made it this far and the best of luck to each and every one of you.

AMEYA ARUN: It is now my pleasure to introduce our announcer for the competition, Ms Toni Matthews.

TONI MATTHEWS: Thank you for that introduction. Good afternoon, everyone, students. We will now begin the Premier's Spelling Bee Senior State Final for 2023.

For this practice round, I will introduce each contestant in turn. They will then be asked to spell their practice word. Meet Mikaila Tesorero. Would you please come to the microphone? A Year 6 student from Wyong Public School, Mikaila's family includes her mum, dad and brother.

Mikaila enjoys the simple things in life, eating, sleeping and, of course, dogs. The person she admires the most is her mum for her persistence and intelligence. Your practice word is 'novel'. 'Inspired by her favourite author, Rick Riordan, Mikaila hopes to write a novel when she finishes school.' Novel.

MIKAILA TESORERO: Novel. N-O-V-E-L, novel.

TONI MATTHEWS: Correct.

[applause]

Daniel Yang. Daniel is a Year 6 student at Gosford Public School. He enjoys playing chess, all things music and computer coding. Daniel isn't much of an early bird. He doesn't like waking up before sunrise. The person Daniel admires most is the chess player Magnus Carlsen. Daniel, your practice word is 'chess'. 'With the power of precognition, Daniel could win any game of chess.' Chess.

DANIEL YANG: Chess. C-H-E-S-S, chess.

TONI MATTHEWS: Correct.

[applause]

Meet Jenson Tourle, an 11-year-old student from Ocean Shores Public School. Jenson has a few very interesting hobbies. Amongst playing Minecraft, reading and cooking, Jenson also enjoys speedcubing. His family consists of his mum, dad, sister, brother and dog Walter. Your practice word today, Jenson, is 'cube'. 'Jenson's favourite puzzle to solve is the Rubik's cube.' Cube.

JENSON TOURLE: Cube. C-U-B-E, cube.

TONI MATTHEWS: Correct.

[applause]

Rafael Marsh is an 11-year-old student from Condobolin Public School and was a state junior finalist in 2022. In his spare time, Rafael enjoys helping his dad on the farm, playing soccer and hanging out with his friends. If he could choose one subject to eliminate from the curriculum, it would be history. Rafael's practice word is 'sneaky'. 'Rafael wants to become invisible so he can be super sneaky and move anywhere he wants.' Sneaky.

RAFAEL MARSH: Sneaky. S-N-E-A-K-Y, sneaky.

TONI MATTHEWS: Correct.

[applause]

April Cussen is a Year 6 student at Towradgi Public School. She enjoys reading, playing netball and, of course, spelling. The person April admires most is her mum. April's mum always puts her and her sister first and is super strong and brave. Her favourite subject in school is English, and she one day hopes to become a lawyer. Your practice word today is 'netball'. 'April and her friends enjoy playing a friendly game of netball at lunchtime.'

APRIL CUSSEN: Netball. N-E-T-B-A-L-L, netball.

TONI MATTHEWS: Correct.

[applause]

Meet Arnav Daphale, a 10-year-old student from Glebe Public School. Arnav is more the sporty type. He loves to play cricket but doesn't enjoy visual arts as much. Arnav lives with his mum and dad, and, with their support, is looking forward to starting high school.

The person he admires most is his mum because she always motivates him to reach his greatest potential, encouraging him to participate in events like the spelling bee. With her support, Arnav was able to win the regional finals. Your practice word today is 'cricket'. 'With the support of his mum and dad, Arnav is the best cricket player in his team.'

ARNAV DAPHALE: Cricket. C-R-C-- wait, can I restart?

TONI MATTHEWS: Yes, of course.

ARNAV DAPHALE: Cricket. C-R-I-C-K-E-T, cricket.

TONI MATTHEWS: Correct.

[applause]

Meet Elijah Temple, an 10-year-old student from Gladesville Public School. Elijah has a number of diverse interests, including trains, planes, cars, birds, tennis and transformers. Elijah lives with his mum, dad and younger brother. Elijah wishes to become a scientist when he leaves school. Elijah, would you like to come to the microphone. Your practice word today is 'tennis'. Elijah wishes to one day meet his hero tennis legend, Rafael Nadal. Tennis.

ELIJAH TEMPLE: Tennis. T-E-N-N-I-S, tennis.

TONI MATTHEWS: Correct.

[applause]

Max Howard is in Year 5 and attends Manly Village Public School. Max has a diverse set of interests. He likes reading, birds, aeroplanes, drawing and rugby. His love of aeroplanes can be seen through his admiration of the Wright Brothers, who created the first flying machine. Your practice word today is 'plane'. 'Just like the Wright Brothers, Max will never give up until he can fly a plane.' Plane.

MAX HOWARD: Plane. P-L-A-N-E, plane.

TONI MATTHEWS: Correct.

[applause]

Ronnie Pham is in Year 6 at Canley Heights Public school. He enjoys playing video games, listening to heavy metal music and drawing in his spare time. The person Ronnie admires most is Bill Gates because he uses his wealth to help people around the world. Your practice word today is 'play'. 'Ronnie likes to play games on the computer.' Play.

RONNIE PHAM: Play. P-L-A-Y, play.

TONI MATTHEWS: Correct.

[applause]

Ershma Razul is a Year 6 student from Ngarala Public School who have in their first year open managed a junior and senior state finalist. She likes reading, cooking, swimming and playing the ukulele. She likes pizza but not with pineapple and doesn't enjoy getting up early.

Her chosen superpower would be teleportation so running late would not be such an issue. Ershma admires Malala Yousafzai because she stood up for women and their rights to education. Your practice word today is 'the'. 'Ushma likes the frequency of the word "the".' The.

ERSHMA RAZUL: The. T-H-E, the.

TONI MATTHEWS: Correct.

[applause]

Meet Angel Yang, an 11-year-old student from Summer Hill Public School. From sport to music, Angel has a variety of interests. When she isn't busy reading Andy Griffiths, you can catch Angel playing badminton with her friends or jamming with her tuba. When Angel finishes school, all she wants to do is sleep. Your practice word today is 'bed'. 'After her eventful day at the spelling bee, Angel wants nothing more than to go straight to her comfy bed.' Bed.

ANGEL YANG: Bed. B-E-D, bed.

TONI MATTHEWS: Correct.

[applause]

Meet Monty Hui, an 11-year-old student from Woollahra Public School. To no one's surprise, Monty loves spelling and hopes to become an actor one day. When he isn't wowing us with his spelling abilities, you can find Monty playing tennis and card games like Uno and Phase 10.

Monty admires his friends the most when they play adaptive tennis. They all support each other to achieve their goals. Your practice word today is 'acting'. 'One day Monty will see his name up in lights acting on this big stage.' Acting.

MONTY HUI: Acting. A-C-T-I-N-G, acting.

TONI MATTHEWS: Correct.

[applause]

Sudarkodi Mutharasu is in Year 6 at Kellyville Ridge Public School. Sudarkodi enjoys playing Newcomb Ball, going to school, eating chocolate ice cream and exploring the world. Sudarkodi doesn't just admire her own mum but mums everywhere. She believes they work extra hard to give their children a good life. Your practice word today is 'heart'. 'When Sudarkodi grows up, she hopes to help fix people's heart problems as a cardiologist.'

SUDARKODI MUTHARASU: Heart. H-E-A-R-T, heart.

TONI MATTHEWS: Correct.

[applause]

Meet Carina Lin, an 11-year-old student from Chatswood Public School. Karina enjoys playing the piano, swimming and reading. She's a huge JK Rowling fan. Her favourite book to read is 'Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone'. Outside of her passion for literature, Carina also enjoys maths. Your practice word today is 'playing'. 'Carina loves to make music. In her spare time, she enjoys playing the piano.' Playing.

CARINA LIN: Playing. P-L-A-Y-I-N-G, playing.

TONI MATTHEWS: Correct

[applause]

Patrick Thorne is in Year 6 at Molong Central School. He enjoys playing his Xbox, spending time with his family and hanging out with his friends. Patrick lives with his mum, dad and brother. The person Patrick admires most is Cristiano Ronaldo, and one day he hopes to follow in his footsteps by becoming a professional soccer player. Your practice word today is 'games'. 'Patrick likes to play video games.' Games.

PATRICK THORNE: Games. G-A-M-E-S, games.

TONI MATTHEWS: Correct.

[applause]

Meet Shreyas Chatterjee, an 11-year-old student from Matraville Public School. Shreyas enjoys reading, maths and playing soccer. Shreyas is definitely more of a dog person, not the biggest fan of cats. She lives with her mother and her father and with their support hopes to one day become a doctor.

As well as Shreyas's love for reading, her favourite subject in school is mathematics. She has a passion for superhero movies and fantasy books. Your practice word today is 'hero'. 'Whether it's a favourite movie "The Dark Knight" or a favourite book "Harry Potter", Shreyas love stories where a hero saves the day.' Hero.

SHREYAS CHATTERJEE: Hero. H-E-R-O, hero.

TONI MATTHEWS: Correct.

[applause]

Malachi Tapusoa is an 11-year-old student from Austral Public School. In his spare time, Malachi enjoys hanging with his friends and family, gaming and playing basketball. Malachi's favourite subject in school is technology, which will help him in a future career as a computer games designer. Your practice word today is 'bored'. 'If Malachi had the power of teleportation, he would never be bored again.' Bored.

MALACHI TAPUSOA: Bored. B-O-R-E-D, bored.

TONI MATTHEWS: Correct.

[applause]

Leo Wang is a Year 5 student from Mona Vale Public School. Leo is a bit of a maths whiz, enjoys physics and loves debating and spelling. Leo's inspiration is Albert Einstein, and if he could have a superpower, it would be time travel so he could meet Einstein.

He also loves a bit of Rick Astley. When Leo leaves school, he wants to follow in Einstein's footsteps and become a famous mathematician. Your practice word today is 'never'. 'Leo can't resist singing "Never Gonna Give You Up" by Rick Astley whenever he hears it playing.' Never.

LEO WANG: Never. N-E-V-E-R, never.

TONI MATTHEWS: Correct.

[applause]

Julian Nie is an 11-year-old student from Carlton South Public school. In his spare time, Julian enjoys swimming, playing soccer and building Lego. Julian lives with his dad, mum and sister who support him in his ambitions to travel the world when he finishes school. Your practice word today is 'goals'. 'Julian is passionate about achieving his goals both on and off the soccer field.' Goals.

JULIAN NIE: Goals. G-O-A-L-S, goals.

TONI MATTHEWS: Correct

[applause]

Leena Gottcent is a Year 6 student from Lane Cove Public School. She loves animals, deserts, reading and music. She has 2 dogs, two cats, 2 mothers and an older sister. Lena admires Sam Kerr because she is an inspiration to female soccer players all over the world. In fact, Leena is inspired by every player in the Matildas. She just loves Sam Kerr most of all. Your practice word today is 'zoo'. 'When Lena leaves school, she hopes to work in a zoo.' Zoo.

LEENA GOTTCENT: Zoo. Z-O-O, zoo.

TONI MATTHEWS: Correct.

[applause]

Meet Lilla Dawson who's in Year 5 at Uralla Central School. Lilla has a number of interests. She enjoys playing guitar, netball and travelling. Her love of travelling doesn't extend to long car rides, though. Lilla lives with her mum, dad and brother, and with their support, she aims to pursue her passions in languages, learning Vietnamese and in debating and public speaking. Your practice word today is 'music'. 'Lilla enjoys making music with her guitar.' Music.

LILLA DAWSON: Music. M-U-S-I-C, music.

TONI MATTHEWS: Correct.

[applause]

Kaleb Koch is an 11-year-old student from Illaroo Road Public School. Kaleb loves books, gaming, music and spending time with his wonderful family. Kaleb lives with his mum, dad, brother and sister who all support his ambitions to become an astrophysicist.

Kaleb's favourite word is yeet, a word he insists is in the dictionary. It is. Your practice word today is 'outside'. 'When his mum and dad suggested that Kaleb play outside in the hot weather, he promptly yeeted that idea out the window.' Outside.

KALEB KOCH: Outside. O-U-T-S-I-D-E, outside.

TONI MATTHEWS: Correct

[applause]

Ohee Subah is in Year 5 at Lavington East Public school. She loves reading books, playing soccer and eating lollies. She lives with her dad, mum and brother. The person Ohee admires most is her mum. Her dedication for her and her brother are second to none. Your practice word today is 'see'. 'Ohee wishes she could time travel so she could see into the future.' See.

OHEE SUBAH: See. S-E-E, see.

TONI MATTHEWS: Correct.

[applause]

Trilok Shenoy is in Year 6 at Darcy Road Public School. He loves playing piano, solving math equations and playing chess. Sherlock admires David Astle, the author of 'Rewording the Brain' because he introduced Trilok to the joy of words and crosswords. Trilok loves all things mathematics, and when he grows up, he wants to be a mathematician. Your practice word today is 'words'. 'Sherlock loves everything about words and crosswords.' Words.

TRILOK SHENOY: Words. W-O-R-D-S, words.

TONI MATTHEWS: Correct.

[applause]

Meet Thomas Haig-Greenwood, a 10-year-old student from Banora Point Public School. Thomas has an impressive list of hobbies. He enjoys playing the clarinet, skiing, fencing, snorkelling, coding and programming. He lives with his mum and dad and loves nothing more than eating his dad's pizza. Your practice word today is 'Monday'. 'Thomas dislikes going to school on a Monday.' Monday.

THOMAS HAIG-GREENWOOD: Monday. M-O-N-D-A-Y, Monday.

TONI MATTHEWS: Correct.

[applause]

Aditya Paul is a 12-year-old student from Epping Public School. Aditya's family consists of mum, dad and extended family in India. He enjoys eating, sleeping, reading and messing around with tech. Aditya's career goals are as diverse as his interests. When he leaves school, Aditya hopes to be an engineer, a pilot and a lawyer. Your practice word today is 'nap'. 'After today's spelling bee, Aditya will probably need a very long nap.' Nap.

ADITYA PAUL: Nap. N-A-P, nap.

TONI MATTHEWS: Correct.

ADITYA PAUL: Thank you.

[applause]

TONI MATTHEWS: Ryan Barman is in Year 5 at Kingswood Public School. He enjoys sport, playing video games, cracking jokes and reading books. If Ryan could have one superpower, it would be the ability to read minds. When Ryan leaves school, he hopes to become an investor. Your practice word today is 'jokes'. 'Ryan knows all the best jokes.' Jokes.

RYAN BARMAN: Jokes. J-O-K-E-S, jokes.

TONI MATTHEWS: Correct.

[applause]

Meet John Frost, an 11-year-old student from Somersby Public School. John has a wide range of interests. He loves all things sport, gaming, and art and hopes to one day pursue his passions in coding and software engineering. Your practice word today is 'sport'. 'John's favourite sport is basketball.' Sport.

JOHN FROST: Sport. S-P-O-R-T, sport.

TONI MATTHEWS: Correct.

[applause]

Meet Saarth Deo, a 10-year-old student from Castle Hill Public School. He was the 2022 junior state champion and is back for a crack at seniors. Saarth enjoys playing cricket and chess and has a keen interest in astronomy.

Saarth admires Pat Cummins known, for his fast bowling and impeccable wicket-taking abilities. Your practice word today, Saarth, is 'bowl'. 'One day Saarth hopes to bowl as fast as Pat Cummins.' Bowl.

SAARTH DEO: Bowl. B-O-W-L, bowl.

TONI MATTHEWS: Correct.

[applause]

Sunandita Kommagan Iyyappan is in Year 6 at Caddies Creek Public School. She likes dogs, drawing and reading. Sunandita admires her parents the most as they always push her out of her comfort zone. When she grows up, Sunandita wants to become a scientist. Your practice word today is 'dogs'. 'Sunandita loves meeting the dogs in her neighbourhood.' Dogs.

SUNANDITA KOMMAGAN IYYAPPAN: Dogs. D-O-G-S, dogs.

TONI MATTHEWS: Correct.

[applause]

That concludes the practice round. Now we will start the elimination rounds. I'll now hand you back to our student officials from Ngarala Public School. You've already met Ameya and Ryan, our chairpersons today. Ella-Rae McGregor and Ahmad Rana will be our timekeepers and elimination trackers, keeping track of eliminated contestants.

AHMAD RANA: Mikaila Tesorero from Wyong Public School.

TONI MATTHEWS: OK, senior round 1, here we go. The first word, 'anarchy'. 'There was anarchy in the classroom while the teacher was away.' Anarchy.

MIKAILA TESORERO: Anarchy. A-N-A-R-C-H-Y, anarchy.

TONI MATTHEWS: Correct

[applause]

ELLA-RAE MCGREGOR: Daniel Yang from Gosford Public School.

TONI MATTHEWS: Culpable. 'It was clear that the puppy was culpable for the mess on the kitchen floor.' Culpable.

DANIEL YANG: Culpable. C-U-L-P-A-B-L-E, culpable.

TONI MATTHEWS: Correct.

[applause]

AHMAD RANA: May I call to the microphone Jenson Tourle?

TONI MATTHEWS: Salubrious. 'When they became wealthy they moved to a more salubrious suburb.' Salubrious.

JENSON TOURLE: Salubrious. S-A-L-U-B-R-I-O-U-S, salubrious.

TONI MATTHEWS: Correct.

ELLA-RAE MCGREGOR: May I call to the microphone Rafael Marsh from Condobolin Public School?

TONI MATTHEWS: Eccentric. 'He is so eccentric, he sleeps in a tent while his dogs sleep in the house.' Eccentric.

RAFAEL MARSH: Eccentric. E-C-C-E-N-T-R-I-C, eccentric.

TONI MATTHEWS: Correct.

AHMAD RANA: May I call to the microphone April Cussen from Tarawdgi Public School?

TONI MATTHEWS: Taciturn. 'He seems taciturn, but once you get to know him, he's very friendly.' Taciturn.

APRIL CUSSEN: Taciturn. T-A-S-S-A-T-U-R-N, taciturn.

TONI MATTHEWS: I'm sorry. That's incorrect. The correct spelling is T-A-C-I-T-U-R-N.

APRIL CUSSEN: Thank you.

TONI MATTHEWS: Thank you.

ELLA-RAE MCGREGOR: May I call to the microphone Arnav Daphale from Glebe Public School?

TONI MATTHEWS: Aquarium. 'Helen kept some very interesting axolotls in her aquarium.' Aquarium.

ARNAV DAPHALE: Aquarium. A-Q-U-A-R-I-U-M, aquarium.

TONI MATTHEWS: Correct.

AHMAD RANA: May I call to the microphone Elijah Temple from Gladesville Public School?

TONI MATTHEWS: Your word today is 'proprietor'. 'The proprietor of the doughnut shop is a very good friend of mine.' Proprietor.

ELIJAH TEMPLE: Proprietor. P-R-E-P-R-I-A-T-O-R, proprietor.

TONI MATTHEWS: I'm sorry, that's incorrect. Proprietor is spelled P-R-O-P-R-I-E-T-O-R.

ELLA-RAE MCGREGOR: May I call to the microphone Max Howard from Manly Village Public School?

TONI MATTHEWS: Your word today is 'discursive'. 'The style of the novel was discursive and difficult to read.' Discursive.

MAX HOWARD: Discursive. D-I-S-C-U-R-S-I-V-E, discursive.

TONI MATTHEWS: Correct.

AHMAD RANA: May I call to the microphone Ronnie Pham from Canley Heights Public school.

TONI MATTHEWS: Plaintiff. 'The plaintiff had brought the case against her landlord.' Plaintiff.

RONNIE PHAM: Plaintiff. P-L-A-I-N-T-I-F-F, plaintiff.

TONI MATTHEWS: Correct.

ELLA-RAE MCGREGOR: May I call to the microphone Ershma Razul from Ngarala Public School?

TONI MATTHEWS: Dalmatian. 'It's easy to recognise a dalmatian because of its spots.' Dalmatian.

ERSHMA RAZUL: Dalmatian. D-A-L-M-A-T-I-A-N, dalmatian.

TONI MATTHEWS: Correct.

AHMAD RANA: May I call to the microphone Angel Yang from Summer Hill Public School?

TONI MATTHEWS: Perpetuity. 'The sacrifice of the soldiers will be remembered in perpetuity thanks to the memorial.' Perpetuity.

ANGEL YANG: Perpetuity. P-E-R-P-E-T-U-I-T-Y, perpetuity.

TONI MATTHEWS: Correct.

ELLA-RAE MCGREGOR: May I call to the microphone Monty Hui from Woollahra Public School.

TONI MATTHEWS: Corrugated. 'Rain ran down the channels of the corrugated iron roof.' Corrugated.

MONTY HUI: Corrugated. C-O-R-R-U-G-A-T-E-D, corrugated.

TONI MATTHEWS: Correct.

AHMAD RANA: May I call to the microphone Sudarkodi Mutharasu from Kellyville Ridge Public School?

TONI MATTHEWS: Triage. 'The nurses had to triage the patients to make sure the most seriously injured were treated first.' Triage.

SUDARKODI MUTHARASU: Triage. T-R-I-A-G-E, triage.

TONI MATTHEWS: Correct.

ELLA-RAE MCGREGOR: May I call to the microphone Carina Lin from Chatswood Public School?

TONI MATTHEWS: Disciple. 'I am proud to be a disciple of the peace movement.' Disciple.

CARINA LIN: Disciple. D-E-S-C-I-P-L-E, disciple.

TONI MATTHEWS: I'm sorry. That's incorrect. Disciple is spelled D-I-S-C-I-P-L-E.

AHMAD RANA: May I call to the microphone Patrick Thorne from Molong Central School?

PATRICK THORNE: Symbolic. 'In much of the world, the dove is symbolic of peace.' Symbolic.

PATRIK THRONE: Symbolic. S-Y-B-O-L-I-C, symbolic.

TONI MATTHEWS: I'm sorry. That's incorrect, S-Y-M-B-O-L-I-C is the correct spelling for symbolic.

PATRICK THORNE: Thank you.

ELLA-RAE MCGREGOR: May I call to the microphone Shreyas Chatterjee from Matraville Public School?

TONI MATTHEWS: Equitable. 'A judge must make equitable decisions.' Equitable.

SHREYAS CHATTERJEE: Equitable. E-Q-U-I-T-A-B-L-E, equitable.

TONI MATTHEWS: That's correct.

AHMAD RANA: May I call to the microphone Malachi Tapusoa from Austral Public School?

TONI MATTHEWS: Your word today is 'rapport'. 'My sister and I have a good rapport and can talk about anything.' Rapport.

MALACHI TAPUSOA: Rapport. R-E-P-O-U-R-T, rapport.

TONI MATTHEWS: I'm sorry. That's incorrect, Malachi. It's R-A-P-P-O-R-T.

ELLA-RAE MCGREGOR: May I call to the microphone Leo Wang from Mona Vale Public School?

TONI MATTHEWS: Delectable. 'The food at the wedding reception was delectable.' Delectable.

LEO WANG: Delectable. D-E-L-E-C-T-A-B-L-E, delectable.

TONI MATTHEWS: Correct.

AHMAD RANA: May I call to the microphone Julian Nie from Carlton South Public School?

TONI MATTHEWS: Anaconda. 'I nearly fell off my chair when I heard that the anaconda can grow up to 9 metres long.' Anaconda.

JULIAN NIE: Anaconda. A-N-A-C-O-N-D-A, anaconda.

TONI MATTHEWS: Correct.

ELLA-RAE MCGREGOR: May I call to the microphone Leena Gottcent from Lane Cove Public School?

TONI MATTHEWS: Your word today is 'procession'. 'We went to watch the grand final procession through the city.' Procession.

LEENA GOTTCENT: Procession. P-R-O-C-E-S-S-I-O-N, procession.

TONI MATTHEWS: Correct.

AHMAD RANA: May I call to the microphone Kaleb Koch from Illaroo Road Public School?

TONI MATTHEWS: Serendipity. It was through pure serendipity that stainless steel was discovered, serendipity.

KALEB KOCH: Serendipity. S-E-R-E-N-D-I-P-I-T-Y, serendipity.

TONI MATTHEWS: Correct.

AHMAD RANA: May I call to the microphone Ohee Subah from Darcy Road Public School?

TONI MATTHEWS: Your word is 'psyche'. 'Too much stress is not good for my psyche.' Psyche.

OHEE SUBAH: Psyche. P-S-Y-C-H-E, psyche.

TONI MATTHEWS: Correct.

AHMAD RANA: May I call this microphone Trilok Shenoy from Darcy Road Public School?

TONI MATTHEWS: Artistry. 'His artistry on the violin is breathtaking.' Artistry.

TRILOK SHENOY: Artistry. A-R-T-I-S-T-R-Y, artistry.

TONI MATTHEWS: Correct.

AHMAD RANA: May I call to the microphone Thomas Haig-Greenwood from Banora Point Public School?

TONI MATTHEWS: Forbearance. 'He showed great forbearance in not reacting to the provocation.' Forbearance.

THOMAS HAIG-GREENWOOD: F-O-R-B-E-A-R-A-N-C-E, forbearance.

TONI MATTHEWS: You're correct.

ELLA-RAE MCGREGOR: May I call to the microphone Aditya Paul from Epping Public School?

TONI MATTHEWS: Symphony. 'Mozart was very young when he composed his first symphony.' Symphony.

ADITYA PAUL: Symphony. S-Y-M-P-H-O-N-Y, symphony.

TONI MATTHEWS: Correct.

AHMAD RANA: May I call to the microphone Ryan Barman from Kingswood Public School?

TONI MATTHEWS: Unanimous. 'There was a unanimous decision to add fresh fruit to the canteen list.' Unanimous.

RYAN BARMAN: Unanimous. U-N-A-N-I-M-O-U-S, unanimous.

TONI MATTHEWS: Correct.

ELLA-RAE MCGREGOR: May I call to the microphone John Frost from Somersby Public School?

TONI MATTHEWS: Legislation. 'Parliament sat until after midnight to debate the controversial legislation.' Legislation.

JOHN FROST: Legislation. L-E-G-I-S-L-A-T-I-O-N, legislation.

TONI MATTHEWS: Correct.

AHMAD RANA: May I call to the microphone Saarth Deo from Castlehill Public School?

TONI MATTHEWS: Recipient. 'He was the recipient of last year's Nobel Peace Prize.' Recipient.

SAARTH DEO: Recipient. R-E-C-I-P-I-E-N-T, recipient.

TONI MATTHEWS: Correct.

ELLA-RAE MCGREGOR: May I call to the microphone Sunandita Kommagan Iyyappan from Caddies Creek Public School?

TONI MATTHEWS: Envisage. 'He tried to envisage what his life would be like if he were famous.' Envisage.

SUNANDITA KOMMAGAN IYYAPAN: Envisage. E-N-V-I-S-A-G-E, envisage.

TONI MATTHEWS: Correct. OK, everyone that is the end of that round. We're just moving up to our senior unseen level 5 list.

AHMAD RANA: May I call to the microphone Trilok?

TONI MATTHEWS: Your word is 'vestibule'. 'We waited in the church vestibule until the service was about to start.' Vestibule.

TRILOK SHENOY: Vestibule. V-E-S-T-I-B-U-L-E, vestibule.

TONI MATTHEWS: Correct.

ELLA-RAE MCGREGOR: May I call to the microphone Aditya?

TONI MATTHEWS: Your word is 'adjacent'. 'Most schools have pedestrian crossings adjacent to their entry gates.' Adjacent.

ADITYA PAUL: Adjacent. A-D-J-A-C-E-N-T, adjacent.

TONI MATTHEWS: Correct.

AHMAD RANA: May I call to the microphone Saarth?

TONI MATTHEWS: Your word is 'catastrophic'. 'Many people were left with nowhere to live after the catastrophic earthquake.' Catastrophic.

SAARTH DEO: Catastrophic. C-A-T-A-S-T-R-O-P-H-I-C, catastrophic.

TONI MATTHEWS: Correct.

[applause]

Let's continue.

AHMAD RANA: May I call to the microphone Trilok?

TONI MATTHEWS: Your word is 'assuage'. 'Watching all of his friends bungee jump before helped assuage his fears.' Assuage.

TRILOK SHENOY: Assuage. A-S-S-U-A-G-E, assuage.

TONI MATTHEWS: Correct.

ELLA-RAE MCGREGOR: May I call to the microphone Aditya?

TONI MATTHEWS: Your word is 'irrecoverable'. 'It was a disaster that he had invested in the venture because now the money was irrecoverable.' Irrecoverable.

ADITYA PAUL: Irrecoverable. I-R-R-E-C-O-V-E-R-A-B-L-E, irrecoverable.

TONI MATTHEWS: Correct.

AHMAD RANA: May I call to the microphone Saarth?

TONI MATTHEWS: Your word is 'solicitous'. 'They were solicitous for the new girl's well-being.' Solicitous.

SAARTH DEO: Solicitous. S-O-L-I-C-I-T-O-R-S, solicitous.

TONI MATTHEWS: I'm sorry that spelling was incorrect. The correct spelling is S-O-L-I-C-I-T-O-U-S.

AHMAD RANA: May I call to the microphone Trilok?

TONI MATTHEWS: Your word is 'dialysis'. 'People with malfunctioning kidneys have to regularly undergo dialysis.' Dialysis.

TRILOK SHENOY: Dialysis. D-I-A-L-Y-S-I-S, dialysis.

TONI MATTHEWS: Correct.

ELLA-RAE MCGREGOR: May I call to the microphone Aditya?

TONI MATTHEWS: Your word is 'hyacinth'. 'The hyacinth is widely grown for its spikes of fragrant bell-shaped flowers.' Hyacinth.

ADITYA PAUL: Hyacinth. H-Y-A-C-I-N-T-H, hyacinth.

TONI MATTHEWS: Correct.

[applause]

Here we go, senior unseen level 7, and we're ready.

AHMAD RANA: May I call to the microphone Trilok?

TONI MATTHEWS: Your word is 'acidophilus'. 'Yoghurt is a good source of acidophilus.' Acidophilus.

TRILOK SHENOY: Acidophilus. A-C-I-D-O-P-H-O-L-O-U-S, acidophilus.

TONI MATTHEWS: I'm sorry. That's incorrect. The spelling is A-C-I-D-O-P-H-I-L-U-S. Thank you.

[applause]

ELLA-RAE MCGREGOR: May I call to the microphone Aditya?

TONI MATTHEWS: Your word is 'emphysema'. 'The doctor wasn't sure what was causing my father's breathing difficulty but had ruled out emphysema, which was good.' Emphysema.

ADITYA PAUL: I'm sorry. Could you repeat the word, please?

TONI MATTHEWS: Emphysema.

ADITYA PAUL: Emphysema. E-M-P-H-A-C-E-M-A, emphysema.

TONI MATTHEWS: I'm sorry. That spelling is incorrect. It's E-M-P-H-Y-S-E-M-A.

AHMAD RANA: May I call to the microphone Trilok?

TONI MATTHEWS: Your word is 'propinquity'. 'Propinquity from working side by side was the simple starting point for their friendship.' Propinquity.

TRILOK SHENOY: Propinquity. P-R-O-P-I-N-Q-U-I-T-Y, propinquity.

TONI MATTHEWS: Correct

[applause]

ELLA-RAE MCGREGOR: May I call to the microphone Aditya?

TONI MATTHEWS: Your word is 'anathema'. 'The thought of eating meat was an anathema to her because she was vegetarian.'

ADITYA PAUL: Anathema. A-N-A-T-H-E-M-A, anathema.

TONI MATTHEWS: Correct

[applause]

New round.

AHMAD RANA: May I call to the microphone Trilok?

TONI MATTHEWS: Your word is 'croquembouche' or 'croquembouche'. 'Making a croquembouche is hard work, but the result is a spectacular and delicious cake. Croquembouche.

TRILOK SHENOY: Croquembouche. C-R-O-Q-U-E-M-B-O-U-C-H-E, croquembouche.

TONI MATTHEWS: Correct.

[applause]

ELLA-RAE MCGREGOR: May I call to the microphone Aditya?

TONI MATTHEWS: Your word is 'plenipotentiary'. 'The government sent an ambassador and a plenipotentiary to act on their behalf.' Plenipotentiary.

ADITYA PAUL: Plenipotentiary. P-L-E-N-I-P-O-T-I-E-N-T-I-A-R-Y, plenipotentiary.

TONI MATTHEWS: I'm sorry. The spelling was incorrect. The correct spelling is P-L-E-N-I-P-O-T-E-N-T-I-A-R-Y.

[applause]

But an incredible effort.

[applause]

ADITYA PAUL: Thank you.

[applause]

TONI MATTHEWS: Well, we have a winner. But can I just say, I had to practise those words for weeks.

[laughter]

JADE ARNOLD: Oh, my goodness. I lost count there at the round 25 mark. But that was some of the most phenomenal spelling I have ever seen.

[applause]

So we've almost reached the end of the day. Before we get to announcing our winners, I wanted to thank you to our chairpersons and timers from Ngarala Public School. Please give them around of applause.

[applause]

Ladies and gentlemen, I would please, please show your appreciation for our announcer, who has done a phenomenal job today, Ms. Toni Matthews.

[applause]

Better her than me.

[applause]

Now that the spelling for today has finally concluded, it's time for the last formalities of the afternoon, the awards. Ladies and gentlemen, after a very, very long, long state final, it is my pleasure to announce today's runner up Aditya Paul of Epping Public School. Congratulations.

[applause]

Congratulations again, Aditya.

[applause]

Now, please, congratulate today's winner with the winning word of 'croquembouche' who is the senior state champion of the 2023 Senior Premier's Spelling Bee, Trilok Shenoy from Darcy Road Public School.

[cheering, applause]

[laughs]

Congratulations again, Trilok.

[applause]

Congratulations to each and every one of our participants today.

[applause]

Big thank you to our student officials from Ngarala Public School, their teacher Jonothan Kilpatrick, our announcer Toni Matthews, all our judges, our sponsors and, of course, today's contestants. That concludes our 2023 junior-- sorry, senior state final of the Premier's Spelling Bee. Thank you very much.

[applause]