Competition has pupils spellbound

Columbia

As the spelling bee progressed, words became more difficult. Some became downright tricky.

Matt Kozlow was asked to spell singular. And in this world of cellular phones, he did just what most sixth-graders -- heck, most people -- would do.

"C-I-N-G-U-L-A-R," Matt said.

"I'm sorry, it's incorrect. The phone company got you," judge Andi Kelly told him, referring to Cingular Wireless, the cellular company.

And so it went Tuesday night for 16 contestants at Harper's Choice Middle School in Columbia. For the past two months, thousands of Howard County fourth- through eighth-graders have been studying the dictionary, memorizing obscure words and practicing drills for one purpose: to become their school's spelling champion.

Winners from 44 public and private schools and two homeschooling associations -- who have until Monday to hold their contests -- advance to the first countywide spelling bee in March sponsored by the Howard County Library and The Sun. The county spelling champion will proceed to the 78th annual Scripps National Spelling Bee in May.

"It's thrilling to think a Harper's Choice student could represent us nationally -- not to put pressure on anyone up there," Principal C. Stephen Wallis told the contestants, who were winners of their classroom spelling bees.

Each contestant, one by one, walked across the school cafeteria stage to the microphone, waiting for teacher Helen Kinigopoulos -- the official spelling bee pronouncer -- to read a word from a closely held booklet provided by Scripps.

"Your job is to focus on the word that I give to you," Kinigopoulos said at the start of the contest. "That's the most important thing."

About 50 parents, siblings and friends looked on silently, applauding after each round. At times, the audience let out a collective sigh after a contestant successfully spelled a particularly difficult word such as embrocation.

Five pupils were eliminated in the first round, missing the words homestead, testify, glitz, modestly and duo.

"P-L-A-Y-W-R-I-T-E," said Katie Shepherd, 11 and a sixth-grader, who was stumped by playwright in the third round of the nearly one-hour competition.

"I was thinking of a person who writes a play so I wasn't thinking `wright,' Katie said later. "I had fun. I was studying all week."

By the end of the third round, seven contestants remained.

And then words that middle school pupils would not dare utter -- pedestal, argonaut, siccative and gordian -- baffled four contestants in the sixth round, leaving three pupils on stage.

In the next round, the word literati perplexed Bianca Bush, 13. The seventh-grader, who received a $20 certificate to Waldenbooks and a plaque, said she did not expect to get this far.

"I tried my hardest," Bianca said. "My mom told me, `This year, you did really well, so maybe next year, you'll come in second.' She said to keep trying."

The final duel played out for what seemed like an eternity to eighth-grader Will Collins and classmate Melanie Fritz.

The rules call for the eventual champion to spell two consecutive words correctly. If the first speller misses a word, the second contestant must successfully spell the missed word and then another word.

If both players misspell the same word, the competition continues and a new word is introduced.

Will and Melanie went through 12 words, including ones that they both missed, such as vanadium, Machiavellian and pusillanimous.

The word septendecimal stumped Will, who had been calm and steady through the competition.

Melanie easily picked up the word. For the win, she was asked to spell allotropic.

"A-L-O-T-R-O-P-I-C ," she said.

The competition continued.

Will became tongue-tied by gazpacho. As luck would have it, Melanie studied that word over dinner right before the competition, according to her mother, and got it correct.

One word to go. Narcissism.

"N-A-R-C-I-S-S-I-S-M," Melanie said.

As the crowd cheered, Melanie put her hands to her mouth in disbelief. She was Harper's Choice Middle School's spelling champion.

"I didn't think I would win because Will is a really, really good speller," said Melanie, who received a trophy and a $50 Waldenbooks gift certificate. "I said, `If I win, I'm definitely going to practice.' "

Will, who received a $30 Waldenbooks gift certificate and a plaque, was happy with his effort.

"I learned a few new words, and it encouraged me to continue reading," he said.

Bee winners to date

Here are winners so far of schoolwide spelling bees that will compete for the Howard County title March 18 at Howard High School:

Name School Grade

Molly Albano Atholton ES 4

Elijah Harris Bellows Spring ES 5

Kevin Walker Bollman Bridge ES 5

Sean Gutterman Bonnie Branch MS 6

Natalie Moschler Cradlerock School 7

Melanie Fritz Harper's Choice MS 8

Jacob Tatum Glenwood MS 8

Joe Wan Longfellow ES 5

Alison Santori Running Brook ES 5

Davis Grove Triadelphia Ridge ES 5

Marissa Zechianato Faith Bible Academy 4

Sydney Speizman Glenelg Country School 4

Laura Powell HCHEA* 7

Kevin Hines Resurrection St. Paul 8

*- Howard County Home Educators Association Source: Howard County Library