Huntley Middle School student broadens vocabulary, social circle at national spelling bee

Nolan Bunger, the 12-year-old Huntley Middle School student representing DeKalb County at the Scripps National Spelling Bee, spelled one word correct and then missed one in the third round on Wednesday.

After passing a preliminary test and correctly spelling "hydraulic," Nolan misspelled "scagliola," a word of Italian origin for imitation marble. He did not advance.

Mastering the spelling of each of the 1,154 words provided on the competitors’ study list was not Nolan’’s biggest concern.

The middle-schooler said he also committed himself the memorization of definitions in the hopes that hearing them read aloud might help him remember how to spell the words.

Nolan’s father, Jason Bunger said his son spent the day studying from the time they awoke for the morning’s first event at 7 a.m.

“He was studying right until we walked up to the hotel at about 1 p.m.,” Jason Bunger said.

Nolan, 12, took first place in March's DeKalb County Spelling Bee. The Daily Chronicle and Shaw Media sponsored him as he joined 284 spellers in the national competition.

The competitors were divided into two groups and tested on their comprehensive understanding of the spelling and definition of words selected from the judges’ dictionary.

Despite one misspelling, Jason Bunger said he and his son feel Nolan has accomplished plenty.

“It was disappointing, but I’m still very proud,” Jason Bunger said.

Nolan learned about more than just vocabulary, however. The trip provided him the opportunity to travel, visit two Smithsonian museums and generate a circle of friends from across the world with a shared passion for spelling.

“It was good for him to get to know other kids from state, the country and from around the world,” Jason Bunger said.

Nolan found himself fraternizing with spellers from Illinois, Japan and China. The contestants kept track of their connections through official Scripps National Spelling Bee autograph book.

For Nolan, this book served as a kind of passport, chronicling his way around the 2015 national championship.

“It’s neat,” Jason Bunger said. “There would be kids that would walk up to him and say, ‘Hey can we get your autograph?’ “

The family does not know whether they will attend the remaining rounds, although they said the competition has provided Nolan with a larger vocabulary and some new acquaintances.

“That’s a pretty cool way to get to know each other,” Jason Bunger said.