Middle school students from across the Waterloo region and beyond gathered at the Kitchener Public Library on Sunday afternoon for the 2024 ECU Scripps Regional Spelling Bee.
After successfully spelling the winning word “hijab,” Arshan Shahriar, a Grade 4 student at Selwyn Elementary School in Toronto, was named the champion.
In addition to a six-night, expenses-paid trip to Washington, D.C. for the Scripps National Spelling Bee this May, ECU – A Division of WFCU Credit Union (“ECU”) has also awarded Arshan a $200 Educational Scholarship.
With 16 finalists competing in this year's Bee, including three from Cambridge schools, Sunday's event marked the second year a Regional Bee has been hosted in the Waterloo region.
The Bee featured Jim Crichton of CTV Windsor fame as the Pronouncer.
It was hosted by presenting sponsor, ECU – A Division of WFCU Credit Union.
It was a close and competitive event, going 15 rounds before the Champion Word round, where Arshan successfully spelled his final word and became the youngest champion the event has seen to-date.
In Washington this spring, Arshan will be competing against hundreds of students from around the world.
“Providing youth with opportunities for growth and development is an important part of our mission and our commitment to the communities we serve,” said Eddie Francis, president and CEO of WFCU Credit Union, in a press release.
“We’re proud to sponsor Waterloo Region’s ECU Scripps Regional Spelling Bee to foster learning and healthy competition in a fun and interactive way. Congratulations to Arshan and his family. We will be rooting for you this May!”
The Regional Spelling Bee promotes literacy and language arts in an engaging way. It also aligns with the credit union’s mission to support organizations and individuals that contribute to the well-being of the community, with particular emphasis on youth, education, and health, said the release.
In addition to flight and accommodations during the event and a $200 Educational Scholarship on behalf of ECU - A
Division of WFCU Credit Union, Arshan has also won the following:
- The Samuel Louis Sugarman Award – a 2023 United States Mint Proof Set provided by Jay Sugarman, chairman and CEO of iStar Financial, in honour of his father.
- The Britannica Online Premium – a one-year subscription for the premier online resource from Encyclopedia Britannica.
- The Merriam-Webster Unabridged Online – a one-year subscription for the official word source for all levels of competition for the Scripps National Spelling Bee.
