This week we are delighted to cast a spotlight on Gabe Epstein.  Gabe is an 8th grade student at Kadimah Scholars at Park School of Buffalo, who recently competed in and won the Middle School Spelling Bee at the end of January.  The competition lasted 12 rounds, with Gabe correctly spelling the winning word ‘defunct.’

“I knew I could last the first rounds but I didn’t expect to make it that far,” Gabe said. “It was fun.”

Gabe, 13, will now advance to the regional level competition in Painted Post, N.Y., in early March, with the possibility of attending the National Spelling Bee in Washington, DC.

“We are very proud of Gabe and all the participants for their dedication,” said Amy DiChristina, Head of Middle School at Park. “He spent weeks preparing for the competition, and it takes perseverance and courage to get up in front of one’s peers.”

Gabe is the son of Jonathan and Judith Epstein, and is a member of Temple Beth Tzedek in Amherst, where he became bar mitzvah in October.

At Park, Gabe excels in both his Judaic and secular studies, particularly Hebrew – where he will be taking the New York State Regents exam in the spring – and math, where he is taking an advanced-level class. He also plays drums, and enjoys art, and has thrived in sports, where he has been a leading cross-country runner, played on both the 7th – 8th and varsity soccer teams, and is captain of the champion 7th – 8th basketball team. He is eager to pursue a career that could combine his passion for sports with his love of statistics.

Mazal Tov Gabe, and Good Luck at the next competition!