A seventh grader has won the Menands School spelling bee.
Cirai Haynes out-spelled 15 other students to win the championship on Dec. 11. Siva Saranya Karthika Chembeti, an 8th grade student, was runner-up.
Haynes advances to the regional qualifier exam and if she places well in that, will compete in the Scripps Regional Spelling Bee.
“I am quite nervous,” Haynes said, when asked about the regional competition.
During the Dec. 11 competition, the 7th grade student competed against the best spellers from each classroom in grades 4-8 in Menands, English Language Arts teacher Caroline Purdy said.
Haynes said her secret to spelling success is quite simple. 
“I read a lot of books, novels, graphic novels and Manga (Japanese graphic novels). That’s what helps me,” she said.
The Percy Jackson series, Hayne said, is her favorite type of book.
Asked to give advice on how to improve one’s spelling, the quiet 7th grader offered this novel approach: “Practice, read books and pay attention.”
The Scripps Regional Spelling Bee is part of the national Scripps competition. Aired on national television each Spring, the Scripps National Spelling Bee awards a $50,000 prize to the national champion.