How Alexandria's Contestant Did In Scripps National Spelling Bee

ALEXANDRIA, VA—Matthew Maury Elementary School fourth grader Olivia Coleman made history as the first Alexandria contestant in the 92nd annual Scripps National Spelling Bee last week. More than 560 children from all 50 states competed to become the nation's top speller at the Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center in National Harbor, Md.

Coleman, 10, passed the first round by correctly spelling "histrionics." She was eliminated in the second round after misspelling "vermilion."

The fourth grader's path to the national competition began when she won a Maury spelling bee, then a city spelling bee. After advancing to regionals, she secured a spot in the National Spelling Bee.

Coleman attributed her success with her passion for reading. She told the school district, "I go to Portuguese school on Saturdays and after class, my daddy takes my sister and me to a bookstore and we always find new books to read. So reading is a good way to prepare."

To prepare for the national stage, she did a lot of studying by herself and with her dad. That meant practicing until she got words right. Aside from her aptitude for spelling, she speaks Portuguese fluently and is a dual resident of Brazil and the U.S.

The National Spelling Bee ended in an eight-way tie as eight contestants spelled all words correctly in the final round.