Veronica Penny

Veronica Penny is a Canadian Spelling Bee Regional Champion who has competed in spelling bees on the Regional level, the Provincial Level, the National Level, and in the Scripps National Spelling Bee. In 2009, at age 10, Veronica placed 25th, and in 2010, she placed 17th. In 2011, she reached the Finals, placing 6th in the Scripps National Spelling Bee.[1] Veronica has a record of 10 Regional Spelling Bee titles. From 2008 to 2010, Veronica won 5 Hamilton Regional bees.[2][3][4] In 2011 and 2012, Veronica won 5 Regional Championships in Ottawa.[5][6] Veronica became Ontario Provincial Champion in 2010, representing Hamilton, Ontario. She won the Provincial Championship the next year in 2011, representing Ottawa in the Spelling Bee of Canada.[7] Veronica was the Spelling Bee of Canada Intermediate champion for 2013.

Veronica was a media darling at the 2008 and 2009 Scripps National Spelling Bees for her unique style when spelling her words.[8][9] During the live broadcasts of the spelling bee, Veronica became known for covering her face to think just before spelling a word.[10] Images of Veronica appeared on the Internet and were published in major newspapers [11][12] from New York to the West Coast. In 2008, at 10 years old, Veronica reached the semifinals at the Scripps National Spelling Bee and placed 4th at Canspell, misspelling ophiomorphic.[13] In 2009, at age 11, she placed 17th in the Scripps National Spelling Bee.[14] Veronica is known for putting a penny in her shoe for good luck and sleeping with a dictionary under her pillow.[15] In 2011, Veronica was runner up[16] in the Canwest Canspell spelling bee.

Veronica Penny was recognized at the Ontario Parliament during session by Member of Parliament Ontario Liberal Party Grant Crack. She has appeared in a spell-off on CTV Morning Live with hosts Lianne Laing, Kurt Stoodley, and Jeff Hopper.[17] She was also featured in a segment on KISS FM Radio.

Personal life

Veronica Penny is the webmaster for two websites. Steeltownkids.com is a website that has information on activities in the Golden Horseshoe, such as reports of Canadian Football League games, concert reviews for bands such as The Who and interviews with officials and participants in the spelling bee circuits such as Jacques Bailly and other persons of interest. Pennyfive.com is a new website featuring useful information. She was also called to Atlanta for a Jeopardy! audition in December 2013.

Competition history

References

  1. ↑ (2011-06-02) The Canadian Press."Canadian Girl Eliminated"
  2. ↑ Humpreys, Adrian (2008-02-20) The National Post "Were it a movie it would be dismissed as an implausible embellishment by the scriptwriters"
  3. ↑ Brown, Dana(2008-02-20) The Hamilton Spectator. Veronica had to first beat her brother.
  4. ↑ Humpreys, Adrian (2009-02-17) The National Post p. A9. "10 year old Queen of the Bee."
  5. ↑ Chamberlain, Gregg (2011-03-17)Vision Prescott Russell p.9
  6. ↑ Pearson, Matthew (2011-03-07) Ottawa Citizen p. B1. Queen of the Regional Bee.
  7. ↑ Chamberland, Gregg (2012-03-08)Vision Rockland p. P7. "Lucky Penny" defends her spelling champion ...
  8. ↑ Daubs, Katie (2011-06-03), Toronto Star p. A14
  9. ↑ Haman, Ashley (2008-05-29) Scripps Howard News Service "WASHINGTON -- Brown hair and hands - that's all Scripps National Spelling Bee judges could see..."
  10. ↑ Joseph White (2008-05-30) Associated Press -The Washington Times p. B1 "No one has mastered the look of spelling bee despair better than 10-year-old Veronica Penny."
  11. ↑ Lamkey, Rod, photo credit (2008-03-30) Washington Times p. P1
  12. ↑ Wines, Heather, CNS photo credit (2008-05-30) USA Today, p. 3C
  13. ↑ The Ancaster News (2008-04-25) p. 34. Obscure 12 letter word stumps...
  14. ↑ McNeil, Mark (2009-06-29) The Hamilton Spectator p. A8.
  15. ↑ Singer, Zev (2012-03-05) The Ottawa Citizen p. C1 /"The girl who sleeps with the dictionary..."
  16. ↑ Nyugen, Linda (2011-03-28)Ottawa Citizen p. B1
  17. ↑ CTV Morning Live (2012-03-07)CTV Ottawa Morning Live

External links

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