Olathe speller hopes to return to national bee after fourth-place finish

When Kavya Shivashankar returned home from her third Scripps National Spelling Bee, she found her front door decorated with tokens of support from her best friends.

A poster decorated with bumblebees read, “O.M.G. You did so amazing.” Kavya’s friends also decorated a yellow T-shirt for her to wear that read, “That’s right, it’s me, Kavya.”

“I thought it was very kind of them to do that,” Kavya said. “It is good to have support from your best friends.”

Kavya returned Sunday having tied for fourth place in the 11th round. She misspelled the French word “ecrase.”

“What had to happen happened,” Kavya said. “I’m a bit disappointed. I tried to ask each question I could and work it out piece by piece. When I got to the ending it could have been ‘e’ or ‘ee. I just picked ‘ee.’”

Five rounds later she watched Sameer Mishra, a 13-year old from West Lafayette, Ind., correctly spell “guerdon” to be handed the trophy.

It was Sameer’s fourth time at the national bee.

During the last three years, Kavya has become a familiar face in the spelling bee. She placed 10th in 2006 and eighth last year.

“I’ve definitely done better,” Kavya said. “Some spellers go back and waver.”

That was the case with several return spellers last week. Matthew Evans, in his fifth and final appearance at the bee, was eliminated during the semifinal round, misspelling the word “secernent.”

“It just happens,” Kavya said. “He messed up on the ending. I tripped up on the ending (of a word) this year.”

Kavya studies spelling with her father and coach, Mirle Shivashankar. Their strategy this year was to study sounds that often are difficult for spellers.

“She was very well-prepared,” Mirle Shivashankar said. “I told her she should be proud of herself and to cheer on the other spellers. There was nothing more she could have achieved. It’s not easy to be in the top 10 every year.”

Mirle said he would coach Kavya through another run to Scripps if she wants to go again. If so, it will take more study, he said.

“I don’t want to depend on luck,” he said.

Kavya said she will take some break time this summer, but she plans to get back to studying for another bee. She has one more year of eligibility.

“It’s always fun to go there,” Kavya said. “I definitely want to go back to do better. I have another year, and I want to at least go as far as I can.”

The bee awards fourth-place winners $3,000. A record 288 spellers competed in the bee this year in Washington, D.C.