Bee plus

To say the Scripps Howard National Spelling Bee is selective would be an understatement.

Just about 1 percent of children in the United States participate in the various levels of the competition every year. And the 265 contestants in the finals are told to spell words most people wouldn’t even know how to pronounce.

So although local competitor Tricia Ann Powles, of 13th and Tasker streets, tied for 95th place in the 77th annual bee last week, the home-schooled student still ranks among the country’s best young spellers.

"It was really a great experience," said Tricia’s mother and teacher, Pam Powles.

The 12-year-old seventh-grader made it to the end of round two, when she met up with the word "ecchymosis." For the record, that’s a soft-tissue bruise caused by bleeding under the skin.

Fortunately, the experience wasn’t too bruising for Tricia once she put it in perspective, her mom said.

"For her first time there, it’s not bad," said Powles.

Tricia was somewhat disappointed, but the words she was required to study for the finals in Washington, D.C., were quite difficult, her mother noted.

"You wouldn’t use many of them in normal conversation or in your life," Powles said.

Tricia won the Philadelphia Regional Spelling Bee in March, which enabled her to contend in the national competition.

The finals, held last week in Washington, D.C., were fraught with drama. One 13-year-old boy fainted in round six, only to return to competition and later make it within one word of winning it all.

But Powles said the experience seemed to be a good one for most of the children, who demonstrated a great spirit of camaraderie.

"The kids were so nice to each other, helping each other study even though they were competing against one another," she reported.

Powles said Tricia hopes to try her luck again next year, which will be her last chance since students are only eligible through eighth grade.