Spellcheck's got nothing on Madelyn.
11 students out of almost 550 students were selected to participate in yesterday's spelling bee. Two from each grade (4th thru 8th) plus one additional. There must have been a tie in one of the grades. Anyway, dear Madelyn, who wasn't even going to try out for the spelling bee was one of the two students from 4th grade selected to represent their classmates. The pre-test was given during afternoon carpool in December on a day where I was volunteering during carpool. Since she was still there, her teacher said, "Madelyn, go take the test." Lo and behold, or whoopsie, she was one of the top two.
Yesterday was the annual spelling bee at school. I hadn't planned on attending. But, the night before, Griff and I heard her sweet voice call down from upstairs asking if we would please come to her spelling bee. So, of course, we said yes. Who could say no to such a request?!
The first word out of the gate was "cage" and Madelyn's classmate got it right. Madelyn was the second student up. I can't remember all of Madelyn's words but she made it to the 9th (?) round and beat out two or three other students. Here are a few of her words that I do remember -
- object
- apprehend
- procession
- impregnable
- offal
That last word is the one that did her in. When she stepped up to the microphone, the teacher said, "Your word is a homonym and its definition is 'the entrails and internal organs of an animal used as food'," and then she announced the word. After hearing the definition, the teacher didn't even have to announce the word before I knew I would have been out. Not one to go down without a fight, Madelyn, "I probably won't get this right," and spelled the version she knew - "awful" - and was told she was incorrect.
Holy cow, Madelyn did great. I received so many compliments from teachers and the principals on how well she'd done and how her word was tough. I know she received many compliments, too. All of 4th grade was cheering and clapping for her all along. Her BFF was in the front row giving her thumbs up and encouraging smiles. And, when she got out, she did it with grace and poise. I couldn't have been more proud. (Perhaps in two years, we can have two Anderson kiddos in the spelling bee...)
This morning, Mrs Simpson, the school principal, saw Madelyn at morning drop off and I heard her tell Madelyn, again, what a great job she'd done yesterday.
Before we got to school though, Madelyn said, "Oh, I forgot to show you this!" and handed me a bunch of papers. Sometime before the spelling bee, her teacher and classmates made encouraging cards and notes of support and gave them to her. I found myself a little teary at how kind her classmates are, how well they know her, and how much they care about Madelyn.
She may not have won the spelling bee and that's okay. But, she did such a great job. I hope she's proud of herself and knows how proud we are of her for just trying. I'm so glad she asked us to come to her spelling bee.
