Imagine you are on a stage with bright lights shining down on you. An anxious audience is staring at you, as well as the rest of America because you just so happen to be on national television. Let's add one more piece to this already intimidating picture... You were just told by an ominous and monotonous voice to spell a word you have never heard before. This is what many contestants experience as they compete in the Scripps National Spelling Bee.
The Scripps National Spelling Bee began in 1925. Nine newspapers rallied together to put on such an event. According to Scripps, after approximately 90 years, The Bee attracts over 11 million people every year. Students compete in local, district, and state spelling bees in hopes of making it to the national bee in Washington, D.C. Scripps states: "Our purpose is to help students improve their spelling, increase their vocabularies, learn concepts and develop correct English usage that will help them all their lives."
The past several years of the Bee have produced co-champions, but this year was different. After competing against almost 300 other students, 12-year-old Ananya Vinay from Fresno, California took the title of champion for herself. The word that got her the victory was "marocain." This word is a noun meaning a dress fabric of ripped crepe, made of silk or wool or both. Along with bragging rights and a nice golden trophy, Vinay will take home a $40,000 prize. It pays to be able to spell.
Spelling was always something that came naturally to me. I vividly remember my days as a contestant in spelling bees. In elementary school, I placed in the top ten, but never made it to the district level competition. Even though I did not make it very far, I still enjoyed the classroom competition and the preparation leading up to the school-wide spelling bee that ranged from students in second grade all the way through sixth grade. As a young student, it was rewarding to know that I knew something and could display it to my peers. One of my major inspirations was the movie “Akeelah and the Bee.”
It was released in 2006 and starred Keke Palmer and Laurence Fishburne. This movie tells the story of how an 11-year-old girl, played by Palmer, pursues her dream of being a competitor in the Scripps National Spelling Bee. With the help of her teacher, played by Fishburne, she as able to qualify for the national bee. Director Doug Atchison said that the theme of the movie was about overcoming obstacles despite difficult challenges along the way.
Whether you are a master speller or you must check the dictionary for every few words that you try to spell, everyone can take something away from the bee. The Scripps National Spelling Bee proves that no matter what background you come from or whether you have enough money to buy the newest trending clothes, or how many followers you have on social media, true success comes from within. Even with the pressure of an audience a person can prove to themselves and the world that the impossible can be accomplished.
