All Aces at the Bee

Ace didn’t make it easy for us. Throughout the spelling bee, he sat paying attention, trying to ignore the girl next to him who insisted on talking, looking composed and collected. He was the second of twenty-four spellers, from grades five through eight. This was his first time in a school spelling bee.

 

 

When it was his turn at the mike, he looked calm and unruffled while his family sat in the first row, clenching our seats and praying. We breathed a sigh of relief when he got the first, second, third round words correct. I’m not sure but I think it took about five rounds before he misspelled a word.

He so wanted to win this spelling bee. “I’m out, I blew it,” was written all over his face as he moved to a row farther back with the others who had misspelled words. Maybe the lucky penny I had given him was not so lucky after all.

  During this same round, everyone except an eighth grade girl misspelled words. Thus, she became Struthers Middle School spelling bee champion for 2013. Since everyone else had misspelled their word that round, all of those left in that round got to come back and compete for alternate for the school. Thus, Aaron Ace McCullough, was back at the mike first. At this point, it was all eighth graders left except for Aaron, a fifth grader.

He spelled his word correctly, then sat down. The remainder of eighth graders each got their turn at the mike and all of them misspelled their word. It looked like Ace had made it for alternate. But alas, the rules state that he must spell one more word correctly before being declared the alternate.

It was not to be so easy. He misspelled that word. Once again, everyone in the last round got to try again. This went on for about six more rounds before one by one the eighth grade students misspelled their words. Finally, finally, Aaron was declared the winner.

The entire middle school cheered and clapped. His twin brother, Andrew, sat with his class cheering him on in his heart throughout the bee. His youngest brother, Austin, still at the Elementary school, had asked his teacher if she could show the spelling bee on the classroom monitor but she could not connect with the Middle school. When Austin’s teacher found out that day that Aaron had made alternate, she had the entire class make things to give to Aaron in congratulations. Add all that to the congrats from his classmates and the trophy given to him upon winning.

 

My grandsons are all awesome and they all amaze me. Congratulations Aaron!