Ready to spell
Coeur d'Alene Press | UPDATED 10 years, 7 months AGO
<p>Seats soon to be filled with young spellers and their families, at the Gaylord National Resort and Conference Center outside Washington, D.C. </p>
<p>Kiana Lacroix, 13, poses with her mom, Theresa DeWit, and stepfather, Jeremy DeWit, outside the Gaylord National Harbor Resort and Convention Center along the Potomac River outside Washington, D.C.</p>
North Idaho's top speller, 13-year-old Kiana Lacroix, spent Memorial Day in the Washington, D.C. area, where today, the preliminary rounds of the 2014 Scripps National Spelling Bee are under way.
Theresa DeWit, the Coeur d'Alene Charter Academy seventh-grader's mother, sent us this report Monday about Kiana's first days in Washington, D.C.:
"She told me tonight that she is excited for the test and for the Bee to officially start! Her big smile tells me she is feeling confident and happy!
We were able to go to the National Zoo and see the Panda exhibit yesterday. There was a big Memorial Day barbecue today for all the kids and their families.
We met the other girl from representing Idaho and one from Omak, Washington. There are also quite a few kids here from other countries. They could easily rename this event the World Spelling Bee!
Kiana was a bit hesitant to talk with the international kids... Afraid she wouldn't understand their accents. She has found that she does understand.
This is definitely not Idaho! I'm so glad for her exposure to other people during this amazing opportunity."
Kiana is one of 281 young spellers from throughout the U.S. and around the globe who are competing in this year's national spelling bee.
The Press will provide updates of Kiana's spelling bee progress.
