This Durham 4th-grader is going to DC to compete in the National Spelling Bee
One east Durham elementary school student’s love for reading, language and spelling has landed him a spot in this year’s National Spelling Bee in the nation’s capital.
Fourth-grader Frank Dumas will represent Durham Public Schools and Bethesda Elementary on the national stage June 2 as he competes in the Scripps National Spelling Bee.
Frank’s path began after he beat 37 other spellers March 26 at the Duke Regional Spelling Bee. The Duke Office of Durham and Community Affairs awarded him a trip with one parent to Washington, D.C., for National Spelling Bee Week, according to Durham Public Schools.
“Frank is extremely hard working, always putting 100% into his work,” his teacher, Nicole Thompson, said in a news release. “He really is a team player. He wants everyone to do well together.”
“All of my kids seeing him accomplish this has brought them closer together,” Thompson said. “Now that they’ve seen him accomplish this, I think they’re a lot more motivated.”
Frank’s mother, Kenya Dumas, said her son is a problem solver.
“He doesn’t like to mess up, so he will put in a lot of effort to study and come up with strategies that help him reach his goals,” she said in a statement provided by Durham Public Schools. “He’s always seeking to find out how he can overcome any challenges that he faces so he can be successful.”
When Dumas spotted Frank and his twin sister, Ana, exploring Spanish and French on the language learning app Duolingo and other resources, she encouraged them to take their curiosity to the spelling bee.
“I challenged them to step out of their comfort zone,” she said in the news release. “And Frank accepted the challenge because [he said] I thought that I could do it.”
Frank would go on to participate in Battle of the Books and be among the the top spellers in his grade, school and in the regional spelling bee.
Now, he’ll compete among 200 other students in the eight grade or below and under 16 years old in the country who’ve also spelled their way to the national stage.
“He is excited to travel to D.C. and participate in fun activities with other contestants,” said Bethesda Elementary Principal Shaneeka Moore-Lawrence in a statement.
The school is planning a celebratory send-off before he leaves, according to the school district.
Frank’s preparation involves studying at home with his sister and parents, as well as getting help from his teachers.
“He came up with patterns and broke the words down in syllables to help him strategize spelling,” Moore-Lawrence said.
The Scripps National Spelling Bee will make its primetime debut on ION, Bounce and Laff, available free and over-the-air to viewers as well as on cable and streaming.
ION will air the semifinals on June 1 and the finals on June 2, hosted by actor and literacy advocate LeVar Burton (“Roots,” “Star Trek: The Next Generation”).
This story was originally published April 6, 2022 at 2:56 PM with the headline "This Durham 4th-grader is going to DC to compete in the National Spelling Bee."
