Let’s be real – a lot of us have a hard time with spelling, but not Nikita Ramakrishnan.
The eighth grader at Rocky Run Middle School in Chantilly, Virginia, is headed to the Scripps National Spelling Bee.
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WATCH HERE“I’ve been studying and everything, but I’m really nervous, but I’m also really excited,” Nikita said. “Also, it’s the 100th year, so that’s really exciting.”
She started competing in spelling bees in third grade and has won several over the years.
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SIGN UP In March, Nikita spelled her way to the Scripps National Spelling Bee by winning the Fairfax County Spelling Bee.
She said her trick is making sure she knows the word from A to Z.
“I also make sure to repeat it a lot, ask for the alternate pronunciations, the definition again and again until I am 100% sure that I can spell this word,” Nikita said.
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She gets a little help from her school librarian, Rachel Grover.
“I knew from last year that she was really committed to spelling, and I knew she was going to come back this year and do really well,” Grover said.
But the bulk of the heavy lifting is done by her family; they help Nikita study for four to six hours each day.
“It takes a lot to be able to sacrifice and be able to be dedicated to something that she loves,” Nikita’s mother, Poorani Ramachandran, said. “Regardless of what happens at the end, I’m so proud of her for the commitment and the perseverance.”
Her entire school community can’t wait to A-B-“C” how she does at the big event.
“I’m very proud of myself for coming this far, but I also know that I can hopefully do better at Nationals and do my best shot and make Rocky Run proud and Fairfax proud,” Nikita said.
The Scripps National Spelling Bee will take place May 27-29 at the Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center in National Harbor.
