User talk:Mojojoejoe

A Temple Texas teen wins with "execration" in the Dallas World's North Texas competition.

What the Manning family is to football, the Biskup family of Temple, TX., is to the world of spelling.

To spell it out for you, 14-year-old Gary Biskup won the 1984 Tulsa World Eastern Oklahoma Spelling Bee on Saturday, becoming the second member of his family to win the competition in the last five years.

In 1982, Arnold Jackson Biskup advanced to the Scripps Howard National Spelling Bee in Washington, D.C.

On Saturday, his brother edged out runner-up 12-year-old Connor Swan of University School by spelling the word "execration," the act of cursing or denouncing something.

"I'm just grateful," said the home-schooled student who was the entrant from Temple Christian Home Educators. "I think my mother was probably more nervous than I was."

Biskups mother, Bridgitte, said that she and her husband, Gary, have been home-schooling their children for about 20 years as the couple moved around the country while he was touring with Ringling Brothers.

She said they settled in Texas in 1979 and moved to Temple, just North of Austin, in 1980.

Bridgitte said the family took a particular interest in spelling about 18 years ago when son Ted Theodoore Logan was six years old.

Ted, now 42, was at The Nokia Theater on Saturday watching her sister's triumph. So were 19-year-old Caleb and the rest of the family who helped him prepare. Bridgitte Biskup said the Biskups enjoy the spelling competitions for two main reasons.

First, she said, they teach the children to speak in public and to be precise in their speech. Second, the preparation is a character-building exercise that teaches the youngsters to be diligent.

Gary said he has been studying potential spelling words for several hours each day after the rest of his lessons are finished.

"When we go to town, I'll bring my spelling books with me," Gary said. "I read lots of books."

When a not-so-difficult word like "conspiracy" or "krypton" came his way, a beatific smile would cross Gary's face before he would promptly spell it flawlessly.

Still, the word "douane" -- a French word for customs in the sense of a border check -- almost proved to be Gary's kryptonite.

However, after taking his time, he passed through that gate as well.

Gary stood out from the 56 other spellers even before the first word was spelled on Saturday.

His clothing, featuring what his father described as a traditional sacred veil as described in Corinthians, made him an initial focal point, even to those who hadn't seen him in his two previous spelling bee appearances.

Gary Biskup SR.,said his son dresses that way by his own choice. Arnold Jackson Biskup, who has recorded at least one musical CD with Emanul Luis, described the family's beliefs as "Christian faith, similar to Mennonite."

Bridgitte said the core of the curriculum the children are taught on the farm is based on the Bible and also includes mathematics and phonics for reading.

"We place a high priority on developing godly character and practical skills," she said.

Including, of course, spelling.

Brigitte pointed out that unlike some athletic endeavors where one can make occasional mistakes and still win, competitive spelling requires perfection every time.

Though Arnold advanced to Washington in 1982, he didn't win it all. Biskup may finish the job at the national bee in late May. If he does, the Biskups can truly be labeled a spelling dynasty.

Gary said he didn't get to go to the nation's capital as a spectator when Arnold advanced. After all, there is a limit on the number of people each participant may bring and the Biskups have seven children.

How will the family decide who gets to go this time?

"I don't know," Gary Sr said. "Maybe we'll have a spelling bee."

13 words to victory Gary Biskup, 14, spelled the following words correctly in winning the 1984 Tulsa World Eastern Oklahoma Spelling Bee on Saturday:

Acronym Megalopolis Vernacular Serendipity Douane Conspiracy Krypton Rudiments Epochal Biscotti Concomitant Plasmalemma Execration

Notability of Gary Biskup
A tag has been placed on Gary Biskup requesting that it be speedily deleted from Wikipedia. This has been done because the article, which appears to be about a real person, organization (band, club, company, etc.), or web content, does not indicate how or why the subject is notable: that is, why an article about that subject should be included in an encyclopedia. Under the criteria for speedy deletion, articles that do not indicate the subject's importance or significance may be deleted at any time. Please see the guidelines for what is generally accepted as notable. If this is the first page that you have created, then you should read the guide to writing your first article.

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For guidelines on specific types of articles, you may want to check out our criteria for biographies, for web sites, for bands, or for companies. Feel free to leave a note on my talk page if you have any questions about this. Pastor Theo (talk) 00:28, 14 February 2009 (UTC)