New York City spelling bee champions are traveling to Washington, D.C. for the Scripps National Spelling Bee. Liam Kwon and Jay Nayak plan to compete in vocabulary and spelling rounds against nearly 250 regional winners. They promote a four-letter message: NO AI. Kwon says he does not want AI to take over and wants to keep human qualities. Nayak says spell check cannot be fully relied on and that learning spelling the old-fashioned way builds work ethic. Kwon and Nayak earned their spots by winning citywide rounds in March. Kwon studies with self-made spreadsheets and practices daily, while Nayak focuses on traditional preparation.
"“I don't really like that idea that AI is actually taking over,” said Liam Kwon, 10, from Queens. “I want to keep the human qualities alive.”"
"“You can't completely rely on spell check,” said Jay Nayak, 11, from Manhattan. Learning to spell the old-fashioned way “builds a work ethic,” he said."
"After outspelling the competition in the citywide contest, Kwon and Nayak are representing New York City at the Scripps National Spelling Bee, which kicks off Tuesday and runs through Friday. Almost 250 students who won their regional spelling bees will compete in the showdown, which includes both vocabulary and spelling rounds. Prizes range from $100 gift cards for the preliminary rounds to $50,000 for the champion."
"Kwon went viral last winter for his exuberant victory. He was clad in a jersey repping his favorite soccer team Sunderland AFC, prompting his player heroes to give him a call. He said he hadn't really heard of spelling bees before last fall, when he saw his mom watching one on her phone. “The National Spelling Bee just popped up into her YouTube feed,” he said. “So we watched it and then I thought it would be fun to do that.”"
Read at Gothamist
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