Updated: 5/29/2007 1:35:14 PM
Marissa Mitchell is not your typical eighth grader. She is wise beyond her years. Not only is she a standout in the classroom at Stone Elementary in Crossville, but also on stage.
Marissa is a dancer, a singer, a musician and, now, a spelling champion.
"It's great," says Marissa. "I'm going to Washington, D.C."
Marissa has won her way to the Scripps National Spelling Bee. It is fair to say this young lady has a way with words.
"I would just come across words as I was reading and think that they were kind of cool, especially if they were new words," says Marissa. "So I would just kind of look them up and see what they meant."
It paid off at the News Sentinel Southern Appalachian Regional Spelling Bee March 4th. "It was the longest bee they had ever had... about 4 hours long," says Marissa. "There were a couple of moments I was thinking, 'Oh ok, I'm out.'"
However, she persevered and tackled some challenging words.
"It took me a minute to figure out the word 'grundyism.' That was one of the winning words," says Marissa. "Odoriferous was my actual winning word. As soon as I finished spelling it, one of the head judges just started clapping. I think they were glad that it was finally over because it took so long."
Mitchell uses sign language to help her figure out how to spell a word.
"I start to get a mental picture and sometimes I like to spell it out in sign language," says Marissa. "It helps me visualize it."
Her mother, Jacquie Mitchell, is always watching anxiously in the audience.
"It's nerve wracking," admits Mitchell.
It will get even more intense at nationals with nearly 300 spellers.
"It's very doubtful that I'll win," says Marissa. "I just want to do my best."
"Many of these children live, eat and breath it and study 12 hours a day," says Mitchell. "They even hire coaches and we haven't gone to that extreme."
Marissa is just sticking to what she does best.
"I'm just reading the dictionary."
And she is hoping for a little luck, too, especially when it comes to the competition.
"You can't help but think 'Please miss this word'," says Marissa about her fellow competitors.
"Lord willing, she'll go far," says Mitchell.
Win or lose, Marissa is not giving up on her dreams. She may be a fantastic speller, but her real passion is performing. Her ambition is to be a "triple threat" performer, someone who sings, dances and play a musical instrument.
"I guess the spelling will help me proof-read the programs," laughs Marissa.
Marissa and her family leave this Saturday for Washington, D.C. The Scripps National Spelling Bee will take place May 30th and 31st.
