(WBBM NEWSRADIO) -- It’s a V-I-C-T-O-R-Y for Elmhurst eighth-grader Sean Gibbons who became the official winner of the DuPage County Regional Spelling Bee last week.
His winning word? “Ossuary,” a noun defined as a depository for the bones of the dead.
The final word may have been a bit grim, but Sean’s father, Ryan Gibbons, says the 13-year-old has a more cheerful disposition when it comes to spelling.
“He's long had just a special interest in words and letters and language. And it was just thrilling to see him win and [we’re] just very proud of him,” the elder Gibbons tells WBBM Newsradio.
Now, the Bryan Middle School student will represent DuPage County during the 2024 Scripps National Spelling Bee in Washington.
Though the competition is months away, Gibbon’s dad says he’s already hit the books.
“We were going through his bookshelf and pulled out the unabridged dictionary that is the official dictionary of the spelling bee, and we're going to work on a plan to study, but I think he's pretty motivated to be successful.”
The Scripps National Spelling Bee takes place May 27-30.
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