COEUR d'ALENE - KianaLacroix and her photographic memory will be returning to the North Idaho Regional Spelling Bee at North Idaho College on Saturday.

And this year, she is in it to win it.

"Last year I was studying to place. I won by surprise," the 13-year-old Coeur d'Alene Charter Academy student said Thursday. "Now that I know it's possible, I am definitely trying to win."

Kiana made spelling bee history when she and then-Lakes Magnet Middle School eighth-grader Evan Schwaab battled for 35 rounds and through more than 300 words - the most used in the bee, ever - until Evan misspelled "volitorial."

More than 50 students participated, but for several rounds toward the end it was just Kiana and her worthy adversary.

"He didn't show any nerves last year," Kiana said. "He had this presence about him that made it seem like he was going to win no matter how well I thought I could do."

Kiana competed in the Scripps National Spelling Bee last May and went out just before the semifinal rounds. As an eighth-grader, this is her last chance to participate in the local and national bees and clinch that victory.

"I'm really nervous," she said. "I'm sure there are kids from last year who are determined to beat me."

"It puts a different kind of pressure on you because people are expecting the same kind of performance as last year," said her mom, Theresa DeWit.

Kiana has been studying the Spell It books nonstop in preparation for the bee. DeWit said once Kiana sees, hears and writes a word, "she's got it ... she is just smoking through all her words."

The Spell It books contain 1,150 words from a variety of languages, including Dutch, German, Slavic and Arabic.

"The end of the words can be really hard," DeWit said. "Most are unusual words you wouldn't hear every day."

Kiana will be competing against 52 other fourth- through eighth-graders from the five northern counties.

Shea Curran, 13, an eighth-grader from Kellogg Middle School, has been studying her spelling list about eight hours a week. She has competed in spelling bees since fifth grade and has advanced as far as the top 15. She said she is feeling nervous for Saturday but happy at the same time.

"It's exciting," she said. "I just like doing it because I enjoy reading and this is just another way to expand on something that I like."

Shea plays softball, basketball, football and the trumpet, but still finds time to read books to her heart's content. She said for her, the spelling bees are more about enjoyment and less about winning.

"When you get up there, take a deep breath and clear your mind," she said. "If you're not sure about something, ask for the definition or the word origin. Do everything you can to find out about the word to make it easier for yourself."

Her mom, Laura Curran, said their family is very proud and always enjoys watching Shea compete.

"Words have always been a part of who she is," Laura said.

Betty Kiefer Elementary School sixth-grader Kaylie Needham, 11, is also frequently perusing her Spell It book to prepare her mind for the competition. Last year was her first regional spelling bee, so she now knows what to expect. She recommends eating a good breakfast beforehand.

"I really like to spell so it's really fun to learn what all these words mean," Kaylie said. "It feels pretty good (to compete) because it means that I'm pretty smart to be able to go against all these different kids who are very intelligent."

The 12th annual North Idaho Regional Spelling Bee begins at 9 a.m. in the Boswell Hall Schuler Performing Arts Center on NIC's main campus. Registration begins at 8:30 a.m. The champion will receive an all-expense-paid trip to Washington, D.C., to participate in the Scripps National Spelling Bee at the end of May.

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