Orange County 5th grader headed to DC for Scripps National Spelling Bee

It's yet to be seen if he can spell all of those words, but Isaiah Henry will no doubt face some difficult entries in the Scripps National Spelling Bee in May. So far, he's been up to the challenge.

Henry, a student representing Grady Brown Elementary School in Hillsborough, has qualified for the Scripps National Spelling Bee after winning first place in the 2023 Duke Regional Spelling Bee. The Duke spelling bee was held over Zoom and included 17 other participants in ages up to eighth grade.

Henry said he's "excited, but a little scared," about going to DC. He last went to DC when he was eight. This time, his family and he will be staying at the Gaylord National Resort for six nights.

The winning word in the Duke spelling bee was Vanda, which is an orchid genus based in southeast Asia.

His penchant for spelling is predicated by his enjoyment for reading. Isaiah said he enjoys reading across a variety of subjects and his father estimates he reads one to two hours a day. His favorite books include some of the Percy Jackson series and he prefers the fantasy genre. However, his favorite subject in school is math.

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"I was definitely excited when I realized I won," he said.

Isaiah won his class' spelling bee, then his school's and finally the Duke Regional Spelling Bee. The Scripps event is set to happen May 30 to June 1.

Isaiah will turn 11 years old this month and enjoys exploring the woods behind his house, playing soccer and video games. Isaiah's dad, Joseph Henry, said reading has helped Isaiah become more familiar with words.

"We are really excited about it and it was kind of a surprising thing," said father Joseph Henry. "Him and his mother, they have that gene. Me and his sister do not."