By Andrew Hackmack
This week he was set to compete in the Long Island finals of the Scripps Howard Spelling Bee, with a chance to move on to the national competition in Washington, D.C.
Ryan, a fifth-grader, was scheduled to go against 30 top spellers from Nassau and Suffolk counties on Thursday at Plainview-Old Bethpage Middle School. He was one of 89 semifinalists from grades four through eight who took a written spelling test on Feb. 10 at the Hebrew Academy of Nassau County in Plainview.
Shaw Avenue's librarian, Jacqueline Capewell, coordinated the school spelling bee Jan. 26. Students competed by class during their library period, and the class winners squared off in the school auditorium, with Ryan emerging as the overall winner.
"It was a tough competition," Capewell said, noting that the school finals went seven rounds. "The kids were really good. I was running out of words."
Capewell started off with easier words, then broke out the tougher ones as the spelling bee progressed. She said she limited the contest to words the children would likely know. "I don't try to trip them up with any difficult words," she said, "but difficult enough."
The format for the Scripps Howard semifinals was different. Ryan had an hour to determine whether 50 words were spelled right or wrong, and to correct those that weren't. The first half of the list, he said, was easy, then it got tough. A few days later, his mother received an e-mail saying he had made it to the finals.
To prepare for the written semifinal, Ryan used an official spelling guide for this year's competition, as well as old booklets that Capewell has kept. He said he has been practicing his spelling five days a week. "I usually give myself breaks on the weekends," he said.
Assistant Principal Amy Pernick said that Ryan has inspired the rest of the student body by reaching the finals. "I think with Ryan going, more of the students are definitely going to try harder," she said, "because they see that a classmate was able to accomplish this."
Ryan said he usually scores 100 on every spelling test. The only words that give him trouble, he said, are those involving the dreaded e-i combination. Or is it i-e?
He admitted he was a little nervous about this week's competition - especially being up on stage in front of a large audience. Capewell and Pernick offered him some advice: Look for friendly faces in the crowd, or look straight ahead over everyone's head.
"You know what else I say you need in spelling bees?" Ryan asked. "A little bit of luck."
Comments about this story? AHackmack@liherald.com or (516) 569-4000 ext. 265.
