“Say the word, then spell it, then say it again.”
Zachary Woltanski, 14, and Gabby Gutierrez, 11, are the only students from Monroe County moving on to the Scripps National Spelling Bee regional in Miami on Tuesday, March 10. Both students attend Treasure Village Montessori Charter School and will compete in the middle and elementary school regional rounds of the competition, respectively. Winners of that spelling bee, which includes students from all over Florida, will travel to Washington, D.C. for the National Spelling Bee in May. Keys Weekly sat down with both champs before the contest to see how they feel.
Were you surprised when you won the school’s spelling bee and the chance to compete in Miami?
Z – This is my first time competing in the school spelling bee. We had a spell-off where it was me and another student, and I ended up getting the last word correct, so I ended up winning. I was a little bit excited. At the same time, I felt kinda bad. I had wanted to have a tie with all my friends, but apparently they don’t allow that — multiple people to go to district. But my friends were happy for me.
G – They didn’t give me a championship word, and I was just sitting there and they said I won. It was harder this year than last because we had to study the Miami words too. We had a three-way tie.
Why do you think you won the school spelling bee?
Z – I went slowly and had studied a lot and for that reason, I was not as nervous when I went up on stage than most of the other competitors.
G – I think I won because I was studying really hard, because I prepared myself and because I won last year and had the experience.
How long have you been studying?
Z – I’ve been studying every day, usually 3 hours. It’s a lot of words. For the school spelling bee, I only studied maybe 4 weeks. For this one, I’ve been studying ever since I won the last spelling bee, so it’ll probably be like 3 weeks.
G – I have been studying for like a month now, almost a month.
How long have you been preparing?
Z – I’ve been studying for the spelling bee a lot. There’s a spelling bee app I use, and I basically read the words and repeat them and try to memorize them that way.
G – I have a journal and I search up the words on the spelling bee app. I write down the word and the definition to memorize the definition and spelling. My mom helps me study, and I say the word, and she tells me if it’s right or wrong. My mom sits with me for hours and hours studying the spelling bee.
Hardest part?
Z – I am very nervous about the Miami competition. I’m just not sure who I’m going up against and how much studying they’ve done. There are people who got their list early and have been studying for half a year already. There are some families who have always competed in the spelling bee who always get lists early.
G – The hardest part is it takes so much time. You see everyone playing, like my brothers playing, and I’m just there studying, but I try to do my best and study hard for the spelling bee.
What kinds of words trip you up?
Z – Sometimes I feel like the words that are the most challenging are the ones that are the simplest. Those have the simplest spelling but long pronunciations you’ve never heard before. Somehow because the word seems so short but pronunciation so long, it’s the type I’ve been missing a lot.
G – Mostly German words and French words, because last year I messed up on a French word. And French words the pronunciation is completely different from the actual spelling. So I’ve been studying the French and German words extra.
Last year the word I failed on is ingenue and I said A-N-G-E-N-U-E, but it was I-N-G- …
What are you most looking forward to?
Z – I guess being able to meet all the new people there.
G – This year, I really want to win. I’m pretty confident I can win because I came in fifth last year and I want to top that. I’m looking forward to getting into the top 15 and winning and making it to Washington, D.C. That’d be really cool.
