Sixth grader wins CPS spelling bee

Less studying, better results. That was Seraj Zerhouni's strategy at the Chicago Public Schools Spelling Bee Championship on Thursday afternoon.

Despite months of studying difficult words, Seraj lost last year's citywide spelling bee by misspelling "Tiffany." The LaSalle II Magnet School sixth grader returned this year with a simpler approach — prepare a little less and study easier words.

It worked. Over about two-and-a-half hours, Seraj advanced steadily through the early rounds, then won the championship in Round 18.

In May, he will compete at the Scripps National Spelling Bee in Washington, D.C.

"It feels like redemption," Seraj said. "I was pretty disappointed last year that I didn't get so far, and now I'm, like, determined to get far, and then I got far."

Seraj took the title after correctly spelling "logothete," which means an administrator in the Byzantine Empire. He had outlasted the other 48 CPS students from grades 1 through 8 gathered at Alexander Graham Bell Elementary School, 3730 N. Oakley Ave.

When Seraj approaches a new word, he said he looks at its roots to find patterns, then asks for the definition. Thursday, he repeatedly asked the moderator for clarification to ensure he was identifying the right word. For a word like "logothete," with Greek origins, he said this was important.

"There's so many times where people, they think they have a word, but it's actually a different word. They spell that word, and they end up getting it wrong, through, you know, misconception," Seraj said.

Though Seraj focused less on studying ahead of this year's spelling bee, he said when he did choose to study, he used an app and physical lists. With the help of his parents, he spelled words over and over again to master them.

"I can't spell at all, like even basic words," Seraj's mother, Anna Lusero said. "I'm amazed at his hard work, his determination, and his learning."

Ahead of the national competition in May, Lusero said she's excited for people to learn more about her son, who is, she said, "pretty awesome."

Throughout the competition Seraj and second-place finisher Damien Kennedy, a fifth grader at Brennemann Elementary School, exchanged high fives and fist bumps as they advanced. Before Thursday, they were strangers. By the end, they celebrated the moment as friends.

Damien said throughout the competition, the two believed in each other, which helped them become the two final spellers. Damien was eliminated by misspelling "concours" — defined as a "public competition." Despite the outcome, Damien said: "You can't be upset at every loss."

"I always try to find friendship and bonds wherever I am, especially at the spelling bee in high-stakes, nerve-wracking experiences," Seraj said. "I try to be friendly with people, develop connections and that just makes it a little better."

Seraj said his trophy will go on a shelf next to his favorite PEZ candy dispensers, photos and books — and a Funko Pop! of Albert Einstein.

After his comeback Thursday, Seraj said he hopes his story shows "anyone can go back and do something, anything that they want, if they're determined, they work hard, and they really try to get it."