[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 74 (Tuesday, June 7, 2005)] [Extensions of Remarks] [Page E1142] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov] CONGRATULATING ALIYA ROBIN DERI'S EXCEPTIONAL SHOWING IN THE SCRIPPS NATIONAL SPELLING BEE ______ HON. RICHARD W. POMBO of california in the house of representatives Tuesday, June 7, 2005 Mr. POMBO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to congratulate Aliya Robin Deri's exceptional showing in the Scripps National Spelling Bee. The sharpest young minds in America gathered to compete in this contest with 278 students competing in the 78th annual spelling bee. Overcoming a litany of complex vocabulary, Aliya tied for second place after 18 rounds of careful spelling and concentration. A resident of Pleasanton, California, Aliya is a champion of many skills. She plays violin, viola, and piano and is a member of two orchestras. She also swims competitively and also enjoys diving, Indian dance, and Tai Chi. While most contestants in the spelling bee were from the United States and its territories, fourteen were foreign students from Canada, Bahamas, Jamaica and New Zealand. Aliya misspelled ``trouvaille,'' meaning windfall, in the 18th round, but I want her to know that our windfall is to have such a gifted and talented individual in California's 11th Congressional District. Mr. Speaker, please join me in congratulating the outstanding efforts of this bright and gifted young woman. I would also like to include the following article for the record. [From the Associated Press, June 2, 2005.] Kashyap Spelled ``Appoggiatura'' Right To Win Washington.--Bursting into tears, eighth-grader Anurag Kashyap of California became the U.S. spelling champ Thursday, beating 272 other spellers in a tough two days of competition. He said he felt ``just pure happiness.'' Anurag, 13, of Poway clinched ``appoggiatura,'' a melodic tone, to take home some $30,000 in prizes. He won in the 19th round of the 78th Annual National Scripps Spelling Bee. Anurag, a straight-A middle-school student whose favorite subject is science, tied for 47th in last year's spelling bee. That experience ``helped me to know what I should study to . . . like, win this thing,'' he said afterward, repeatedly hiding his face behind his cardboard number. Tied for second place were 11-year-old Samir Patel, who is home-schooled in Colleyville, Texas, and Aliya Deri, 13, a Pleasanton, California student. Aliya was tripped up in the 18th round by ``trouvaille,'' meaning windfall. Just after, Samir fell to ``Roscian,'' meaning skilled in acting. Two years ago, when Samir tied for third place, bee winner Sai Gunturi predicted that he would be a force to be reckoned with in future contests. When the sixth round ended in the early afternoon of the second day, only 27 spellers remained, including a half dozen home-schoolers. Home-schooled students have won twice before, in 1997 and 2000. After the 14th round, only three spellers still stood-- Anurag, Aliya and Samir. During the day, Anurag whizzed through relatively easy words such as prosciutto, an Italian dry-cured ham, and more difficult ones like hodiernal, meaning ``of this day.'' Needing only one more correct spelling to win, he began methodically, going faster and faster as he finished the long word: ``A-P-P-O-G-G-I-A-T-U-R-A.'' He covered his face and rushed to hug his father. Most of the contestants at the bee's start were from the United States and its territories, but 14 were foreign students. There were 11 from Canada and one each from the Bahamas, Jamaica and New Zealand. It was in the fourth round Wednesday that Dominic Errazo got a word he could relate to, ``emetic,'' which means inducing one to vomit. ``It sounds like the nervousness I get up here,'' said the seventh-grader from Goose Creek, SC. He spelled it correctly. Each speller wins at least $50. The first-place winner gets $28,000 in cash, scholarships and bonds, plus books from Encyclopedia Britannica. That's about $10,000 more than in previous years. The contest is administered by E.W. Scripps Co. The youngsters all won local contests sponsored by newspapers. ____________________