TULSA, Okla. — We have a winner for the 2 Cares for Kids 2024 Regional Spelling Bee.
Nico Reens, a student at Monte Cassino, took home the top prize and is headed to Washington, D.C.
Reens will represent Green Country at the Scripps National Spelling Bee, which will be held at the end of May.
He said he spent around two weeks studying for the event and is excited his hard work paid off.
"I use the Word Club app, the Scripps app, and so I answer the words, and the words that I spell wrong and the words that I study, I write them down multiple times, and so it's just like in my head and in my memory," Reens said.
His winning word was "Neronian," which means of or pertaining to the Roman Emperor, Nero, who was notorious for debauchery and barbarous cruelty.
Nico's parents were thrilled with his accomplishment and said they loved seeing their son succeed on such a big stage.
"'I have no words for it. We came to this country to give our children better opportunities, and this is one of many successes that my children are going to have in this country and we couldn't be prouder of him. This is amazing," Carolina Reens, Nico Reen's mother, said.
Now that Nico is headed to the National Spelling Bee, he knows he will have to study a lot.
"It's not so much that I like spelling, it's more that I like the winning," Nico said.
Stay in touch with us anytime, anywhere --
- Download our free app for Apple, Android and Kindle devices.
- Sign up for daily newsletters emailed to you
- Like us on Facebook
- Follow us on Instagram
- SUBSCRIBE on YouTube
