Mission Hill resident Ina Beinborn, a seventh-grader at Boston Latin School, won the Citywide Spelling Bee in March and will compete for the national title in Washington, D.C. later this month.
Beinborn beat 26 competitors in 17 rounds at the March 17 word-spelling contest, held at the Boston Public Library by the City’s Boston Centers for Youth & Families. More than 3,000 students competed in school-based spelling bees to qualify for the citywide event.
Beinborn won by correctly spelling the word “schnauzer.” The prizes include an expenses-paid trip to the Scripps National Spelling Bee, a dictionary, a $100 savings bond and a subscription to the “Encyclopaedia Britannica” website.
She joins 280 other contestants in the national bee, who are competing for a grand prize of $30,000 in cash, a $2,500 savings bond and various reference works. The national bee is scheduled for May 28-30. Various rounds will be televised on ESPN, ESPN2 and ESPN3. For more information, see spellingbee.com.
Beinborn also was honored by the Boston City Council May 1 with a resolution congratulating her for being the first girl to win the Citywide Spelling Bee in its six-year history.
Ina Beinborn is honored by the entire Boston City Council in its chamber May 1 as the first girl to win the Citywide Spelling Bee. (Courtesy Photo)