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Scripps National Spelling Bee 2011 Welcome to our 2011 Scripps report.
May 29, 2011
Mom and I left for Washington at 2:00 p.m. and parked at Park and Fly. On the plane, we flew for 1½ hours to D.C. (actually Maryland). When we touched down at the Maryland airport, we took a snazzy super shuttle to the Gaylord Resort with 2 other spellers from Texas and their families. As we stepped into the hotel, we were greeted by April and given some "Canada Swag", (a Canada hoodie & a T-shirt). After that, we registered, and I collected a few speller-signatures in the Hall of Champions. This was a hall with banners for all the previous winners and banners displaying additional details about their victories. At the registration desk, I received a functional NSB bag with a waterbottle, some information about the week to come, my Beekeeper, and a $125 gift card to spend at any of the hotel's wide selection of businesses. I also received a memorable "welcome back" card signed by Bee Week organizers. We bought Chex Mix and granola bars at the gift shop in the hotel with the gift card I had just received. I studied a little, and then talked to my sister for a while on Google video chat. I checked my Facebook and then went to bed. May 30, 2011
We got up at 9:30 and I hairstyled for an ESPN interview. In the video I spun around in an egg chair. I'm sure the end result will be mortifyingly dorky. After that I donned some waterproof shorts, and mom a dressy skirt and we shuttled to D.C. (Remember, we were in Maryland). We had decided not to attend the Gunston Hall BBQ because we had always wanted to go to the Memorial Day parade in D.C. It was totally worth it. I love marching, and I wanted to observe and and honour the experts. We watched some of the parade until the Grand Parade Marshal Pat Sajak goes by, sitting atop a pearly car. So we decide to meet him. We casually cross the street and wait around until the masses have placed their attention elsewhere. Then we leap into ninja-style action. Translation: I walk up to Pat Sajak and ask for a picture. Naturally, he obliges. In the process of picture-taking, he asks me to spell a word that I had mastered many years ago..."mayonnaise". I spell it while looking at the camera and smiling. Determined to befuddle me, he tries again..."sacrilegious" I spell it. "No, you're wrong" so says he. So say I, "No, I'm right". He reconsiders his position. "Oh yeah, you're right!" Then I get a picture of him and Mommy. At this point, even the vendors rhyming "fresh cold water" with "only a dollar" seem like a welcome alternative to dehydration. But we head towards the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History, deciding we will live after walking 4 blocks. On our way to the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History, we take a few quick pics of each other in front of the Washington Monument, and buy our drinks in the Smithsonian cafe. (Pop for Mommy, orange juice for me.) After we viewed some exhibits that we missed last time in D.C. We walked to the Ronald Reagan Centre and bought Subway after clearing security. We were running a little late by then, so we ran to a Cosi's and spent our 2 year old gift card on two gourmet sandwiches and a very, very large blueberry & pomegranate smoothie. We welcomed the air conditioned bus ride back to the hotel. We had just arrived in our hotel room when the phone rang. Turns out Laura, and I, (and parents) had to go to CTV, to do an interview. After a shower, we (me and mommy, Laura and her mother) rode in a black Cadillac to the studio. I made myself a tea in the guest room. May 31, 2011 We got up early for the Round 1 test. After an assembly, everyone did the written test and I got perfect, as did Laura. Graham got 22/25. Then we went to downtown D.C. with Canspell, which and mommy and I quickly abandoned because we were anxious to go to Ford's Theatre. We popped back into the Ronald Reagan centre, and there I ate ice cream, irrelevantly. We enjoyed a tea in the Newseum cafe and then the Canspell group "did lunch" at the Angus Grill. I ordered spinach and mushroom quesadillas, which were good, but it was in a very large portion. (and the quesadillas were intended as an entrée!) Then we walked togther to the Canadian Embassy and had some pictures taken. After that we just relaxed. I talked to my sister again on Google video chat. June 1, 2011 Got up early again :'( to spell in the Prelims, I got both my words right, (Fauntleroy and vaquero) as did Laura and Graham. At 5:15, the Prelims ended and the Semifinalists were announced. I felt lucky, because I love that song. Unsurprisingly, (because my test was perfect and I got my stage words right), I am a semifinalist, as was Laura. Graham was 1 point off. We found a CVS pharmacy about 2 blocks from the hotel and bought granola, 1 qt. milk, and 1/2 gallon of raspberry iced tea. We also purchased some food from the sports bar, it was artichoke dip, guacamole, and sweet potato fries. June 2, 2011 Didn't have to get up quite so early today, curled my hair, put on my zebra dress, and spelled in the Semifinals. My Round 4 word: boutade Round 5: arbustum Round 6: dreikanter Round 7: grimthorpe I knew all of my words, except that I had never heard of dreikanter, however I compared it to another word I knew, einkanter, and I thought I misspoke for like 2 seconds. After that I realized that I didn't, it all worked out quite well. YEAH! I'M IN THE FINALS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I attended a luncheon and a eceived fancy schedule tag. After some waiting, hair and makeup, then dinner, spelling was on. So, we spell. First out, Samuel Estep. My Round 8 word: cioppino. I last 1 more round, spelling eremacausis correctly. My "nemesis" (as some cleverly euphemistic speller phrases it) is "rougeot". I spelled it "rougeau". 3 other spellers get out in the same round as me, so I am tied for 6th. I am happy with this, as my target was to make the Finals. The spelling bee goes on, and Sukanya wins, with Laura as runner up. I decide to go over and meet Ken Jennings, who notes, how less serious I am now that I am out of the contest. I watch Jeopardy every day, so I count this as another acheivement met. After signing some Bee Keepers, and talking to my sister, yet again on video phone. I go to bed.
June 2, 2011 SPELLING BEE VIDEO:
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Canadians advance to Semi-Finals. Agony
over a 5-letter word: Canadian's struggle with 'clary' highlights
spelling bee semis.
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