Byrd Elementary School student competes in Scripps National Spelling Bee

Stephanie Hill, Aiken Standard, S.C.
·2 min read

Jun. 1—Repoussage.

That was the first word that Kaitlyn Toole, a fifth grader at Byrd Elementary had to spell in the first preliminary round of the Scripps National Spelling Bee on Tuesday.

She immediately moved on to round 2, where she had to answer the correct meaning of the word vassal. She said it is was an immense space, but the correct meaning was a feudal land leaser. The incorrect answer eliminated Toole from the competition.

Toole was one of 234 students participating in the national competition taking place in Washington, D.C. She earned her spot in the nationals after winning the 2022 South Carolina Regional Spelling Bee in March. The fifth-grader earned her regional spot when she took second place in the Aiken County Public Schools Spelling Bee in February.

The 2022 edition of the bee marks a return to the in-person competition. According to a press release from the Scripps National Spelling Bee, the competition was canceled in 2020 and held mostly virtually in 2021. The finals in 2021 were held in-person near Orlando and featured 11 spellers.

"The 2022 national competitors represent a diverse group of dedicated, hardworking and perseverant students," said Dr. J. Michael Durnil, executive director of the Scripps National Spelling Bee. "As they prepare for their moment at the microphone, the bee is working to make the whole week an unforgettable experience for them — both on and offstage.

Following the three rounds of preliminaries on Tuesday, the quarterfinals were scheduled to be from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Wednesday, with the semifinals that same day from 8-10 p.m. The finals will be Thursday from 8-10 p.m. All three days of the competition can be streamed live on Ion-plus and at https://spellingbee.com/.