I first fell in love with spelling at a very young age, when I watched the Scripps National Spelling Bee on TV. I was completely awestruck by everything; the lights, the atmosphere, and the camaraderie that was visibly present. The spellers walked up to the mic with such confidence, and handled the words diligently with perfect aplomb. I knew right then that I had to be on that stage, and made it my personal goal. It started off small, I studied the spelling list whenever I had free time, and thought nothing of it. In 3rd grade, I won my classroom spelling bee for the first time. I started loving spelling bees. I loved every part of it, the studying, the quizzing, and the actual bee. My study time also increased, from only doing it during my free time to doing it all the time. In 6th grade, I won the county spelling bee and finally made it to the big stage!
That year, I placed 51st in the Scripps National Spelling Bee. I still remember every detail vividly, the friends I made, the activities we did, and most importantly, the words. Not just mine, but I was amazed as my fellow competitors rattled off the most complicated words I had ever heard. And then, I saw the trophy. It was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen, and all I wanted was for it to be on a display case at my house. I made it my aim to come back and win it all. In order to achieve this augean task, I worked diligently, studying up to 15 hours a day. I had to make tons of sacrifices, but in the end, it was all worth it. Year 2021, my last year of eligibility, I placed 21st in the nation. I also competed in many other online bees after Scripps and placed in top 5 positions. I took up coaching and enjoy working with other kids and help achieve their dream. Spelling has still been and will always be an integral part of my life wherever I go.
