The glaring television lights at the PBS studios in Oahu have faded but the memory of the state aio Spelling Bee Championship Saturday lives on for Kauai’s Fred Adella, of Waimea Canyon Middle School, and Leila Nelson, of Kapaa Middle
The glaring television lights at the PBS studios in Oahu have faded but the memory of the state aio Spelling Bee Championship Saturday lives on for Kauai’s Fred Adella, of Waimea Canyon Middle School, and Leila Nelson, of Kapaa Middle School.
They were two of the fourteen competitors representing the fourth to eighth grade students statewide in the spell-off.
“Leila made us all proud,” said Nelson’s mother, Christy Matsumura, whose seventh-grade daughter was eliminated in the sixth round of the competition when she misspelled the word “lieutenant.”
“Relief kicked in quickly after that though, as it was such a nerve-racking feat for those kids,” Matsumura said. “We shall see what she decides to do next year.”
Nelson only has one more year in which she is eligible to compete.
“There is no telling if she had enough, or wants to beat her own record,” said her mother.
Adella, who is currently in the sixth grade, doesn’t intend to let one defeat get the best of him.
He will begin training this week for next year’s spelling bee because he said it was simply nerves that got him.
He struck out in the third round while trying to spell the word “praline,” a type of candy he says he has never tried.
“Since it is an easy word and I know how to spell it, I’m disappointed I missed it,” said Adella. “I just felt so much pressure and that’s why I got it wrong.”
Next year, if he qualifies in the district round again and goes to state, he said he won’t let the pressure get to him.
“I’m not going to think of all the people watching me on TV, but instead focus on the task of spelling,” he said.
Christianne Abella, an eighth grader at Konawaena Middle School on Hawaii Island, emerged as the 2014 champion after spelling the winning word, “plangency.”
Nelson could spell the winning word perfectly, too.
“It’s completely different when you’re up there on TV compared to when the pressure is off,” said Nelson.
Abella will go on to represent the state of Hawaii in the 2014 Scripps National Spelling Bee in Washington, D.C. May 25-31.
