La Canada Elementary student, Haley Potts, center, and other students from Paradise Canyon and Palm Crest elementary schools participate in a spelling bee, which took place at La Canada Elementary School on Thursday, January 27, 2011. (Cheryl A. Guerrero/Staff Photographer)
While Paradise Canyon Elementary student, Sarah Bhaskaran, left, spells a word, Palm Crest Elementary student, Nate Rowe, right, is nervous as he previously misspelled a word during a spelling bee, which took place at La Canada Elementary School on Thursday, January 27, 2011. (Cheryl A. Guerrero/Staff Photographer)
Spelling Bee Judge, Lindi Drebelbis Arthur, gathers around with the other judges to verify the correct spelling of a word that a contestant misspelled during a spelling bee, which took place at La Canada Elementary School on Thursday, January 27, 2011. (Cheryl A. Guerrero/Staff Photographer)
Ryan Rowe, left, congratulates Paradise Canyon Elementary student, Sarah Bhaskaran, who won the spelling bee, which took place at La Canada Elementary School on Thursday, January 27, 2011. (Cheryl A. Guerrero/Staff Photographer)
Palm Crest Elementary student, Nate Rowe, center, shakes Connie Knight’s hand after being the runner up of a spelling bee, which took place at La Canada Elementary School on Thursday, January 27, 2011. (Cheryl A. Guerrero/Staff Photographer)
Paradise Canyon Elementary Principal Debra Cradduck, names off contestants to judges during a spelling bee, which took place at La Canada Elementary School on Thursday, January 27, 2011. (Cheryl A. Guerrero/Staff Photographer)
Tatiana Dsoubko watches participants at a spelling bee, which took place at La Canada Elementary School on Thursday, January 27, 2011. (Cheryl A. Guerrero/Staff Photographer)
Paradise Canyon Elementary student, Sarah Bhaskaran, center, asks a question before participating in a spelling bee, which took place at La Canada Elementary School on Thursday, January 27, 2011. (Cheryl A. Guerrero/Staff Photographer)
Spelling Bee partcipants, Abigail Lidar, from fourth left, Ankur Jain and Haley Potts sit down before starting the spelling bee, which took place at La Canada Elementary School on Thursday, January 27, 2011. (Cheryl A. Guerrero/Staff Photographer)