People many times think they can’t do things that they haven’t even tried. I am kind of like that, and I am learning to face it.

People many times think they can’t do things that they haven’t even tried. I am kind of like that, and I am learning to face it. I knew I was a great speller but not the best in the school. Maybe I wasn’t sure but my language arts teacher was up for giving me a try. She said “You might win, there’s nothing to lose. Just try.” So I did. I went just because I wanted to see what it felt like to be standing up there in front of my whole grade level. And also because it took me out of two periods of class.

So I went to the spelling bee, and I sat there with my friend until it started. I thought this is no big thing. I am probably not going to win, and I may not even get to the second round. But I really didn’t care what happened. So it was my turn, and I stood up there. My first word was, APPREHENSIVE. A-P-P-R-E-N-S-I-V-E. I said it correctly. Everyone clapped, and I actually felt proud. But I knew it was far from over. Kids lost and came down, and I was still up there.

Then it was the second round. In the second round ten spellers had already been eliminated, and the words were getting tougher and tougher. We were in the 7th grade so the words weren’t as easy for me back then as they are now. But I kept on going, and I wasn’t spelling them incorrectly. I was surprised because I thought I would choke in front of all my classmates. People lost and came down, I was still up there. I could not wipe the smile from my face because I was actually winning. It was my turn again, and they gave me a word I had only heard and never had to spell in my life. Personification. I was about ready to give up. I was in the 7th grade, and I knew noting of what I know now. But as I looked over my shoulder to the judges’ table and saw that trophy, it came to my head how it would be like to win this spelling bee. I would be very proud, my father, my mother, and my classmates. I also looked at the face of my language arts teacher. She was crossing her fingers hoping for me to spell this word right. So I sounded it out in my head. Personification. It has person in it. So I spelled person, “P-E-R-S-O-N”. Then I thought about the last part of the word. Ification. So I tried I-F-I….C-A-T-I-O-N. As the judge said “That’s correct.” My heart jumped out of my chest and started dancing on the floor. I was so proud. Then at that moment there were only 3 spellers left.

Well, then it was the last round, and everyone spelled three words each. One speller got a word wrong and was thrown out the stage. I saw a tear in his eye as he walked out, and I said to my self that I didn’t want to feel that way. My last word was up. It was perpendicular. I had happy because math being my favorite subject, I had heard that word millions of times. I said it proudly “P-E-R-P-E-N-D-I-C-U-L-A-R”. The judge said, that’s correct. It was the next spellers turn. And do you know what happened. She got it wrong. When she spelled it wrong, I jumped from my seat, and I did everything I could to express my happiness. To my surprise, I had won the spelling bee and was going to the nationals.

So to sum it all up, I did something I thought was impossible for me to do. And what you need is some motivation to get you going and to help you be confident in yourself. I will never forget that spelling bee.

By I. S., a middle school student