Eighth-grade science academy pupil wins state spelling bee

<p>An eighth-grader won the state spelling bee with a word fitting for someone who attends a science school.</p><p>Biplab Panda, a 12-year-old pupil at Fulton Science Academy, correctly spelled semipermeable, a chemistry term that means allowing some substances to pass.</p><p>Friday's win earned him a trip to the Scripps Howard National Spelling Bee in May.</p><p>"I wanted to win," said Biplab, who studies word lists for more than an hour a day.</p><p>Daniel Holmes, an eighth-grader at Crews Middle School in Gwinnett County, was runner-up in the state contest. He spelled paroxysm _ which means a sudden attack, or intensification of the symptoms, of a disease _ en route to the final two. But then he stumbled on panache, which means flamboyance. That opened the door for Biplab.</p><p>Biplab spelled panache and needed just one more word to make it to Washington.</p><p>"When he got the last word, I knew he'd get it right," said Daniel.</p><p>Biplab's father, Dilip, captured the moment on video, and his mother, Smita, held back tears as she accepted congratulations from mothers of other participants.</p><p>Biplab, who has memorized thousands of words, said he knew all 118 words tossed out Friday.</p><p>Spelling isn't the only thing on Biplab's mind these days. The ambitious youngster will compete in the state geography bee on April 2.</p><p>___</p><p>Information from: Constitution</p>

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