San Ramon 5th Grader Wins 2nd Place At State Spelling Bee

SAN RAMON, CA — Quail Run Elementary School fifth grader Akshara Thummala placed second in the Elementary Division of the California State Spelling competition on April 26, according to the Contra Costa County Office of Education.

Akshara competed against 44 other students from grades 4-6 by correctly spelling challenging words like "rhizome", "tintinnabulation," and "wurtzite."

"Strong reading, comprehension, confidence, and constant practice made this student shine at the State Spelling Bee,” Contra Costa County Superintendent of Schools Lynn Mackey said in a statement. “I am very proud of Akshara for representing our county at this competition. Earning this achievement as a fifth grader is truly remarkable and showcases her dedication to studying the English language."

San Ramon is shaping up to be a spelling powerhouse. Rithvi Balajejee, a 7th grader from the Stratford School Pleasanton, recently earned second place in the California Regional Spelling Bee, which featured 59 students from 29 schools.

Rithvi was one of just three participants from the state selected to advance to the National Competition in Washington, D.C.

In 2023, San Ramon 7th grader Dhruv Subramanian was one of 11 students across the country to make it to the Scripps National Spelling Bee finals after winning the Regional Spelling Bee, which was sponsored by the San Ramon Valley Rotary Club.