FAIRBORN — An eighth grader has won the Wright State Regional Spelling Bee for the second year in a row, now she’s headed to the National Competition in D.C.
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As previously reported on News Center 7 at 6, Aurora Spisak is in the eighth grade at Watts Middle School, and she can spell words that some adults don’t know exist.
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Spisak made it through over 30 rounds of spelling at the regional spelling bee, making her the champion for the second year.
“It was really exciting because this year there were more unsteady words than there were the year before,” Spisak said.
The winning word was “broch,” an old Scottish term for a stone tower.
Each year, a study list is given out for the regional competition. Spisak says she focuses on the root of the word, and knowing the word’s origin is the best help for her.
“Different languages give different clues towards what the spelling might be,” Spisak said.
Spisak says she studies as much as she can, but there’s pressure in front of a crowd.
“Terrifying, but it’s fun because of the feeling of ‘am I going to make it or not?’ And when you do it, it’s exhilarating,” Spisak said.
Last year, Spisak made it through three rounds at nationals before she was eliminated. This year, she is coming back even stronger.
“It was a little sad, but I knew I did well and that I could hopefully try to get there again the next year,” Spisak said.
Spisak will head to Washington D.C. in May to compete in the National Spelling Bee. Spisak says she has adapted her studying techniques and hopes that will make a difference this year.
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