Bee Keeper
Canada’s best young speller spills the secrets of her success By Graham Silnicki
Image credit: Jana Chytilova/Canwest News Service
Laura Newcombe had to kick her big brother’s butt to get to the top: after taking him out at the regional bee in February, the 10-year-old from Lytton Park spelled her way to a first-place finish at the Canwest Canspell national bee. She’s barely out of Grade 6, knocks off words you’ve never heard (“ochlocracy,” “jeroboam,” “rorqual”) and is way smarter than your spell checker.
You made it through 52 rounds at Canspell. How did you last?
I didn’t count the rounds. I was happy when it was over, but I could have kept going.
Do you remember the word you won on?
Heresimach.
OK, so you can spell it, but can you use it in a sentence?
Sure. The heresimach chased Paul over the horizon. It’s a person who is trying to fight heresy. In my class, we once had to do research on people who went against the church, so that helped a lot.
Did you celebrate after your win?
The day before, Canspell put on a party for all the spellers. I wore a white dress that was very sparkly.
You must read a lot. What kind of books do you like?
I really like the Song of the Lioness quartet. They’re fantasy. And I like manga, like Bleach and Fairy Tale.
What are you reading now?
Dilbert.
Is spelling your favourite subject in school?
I like art the most, and I don’t like French. For some reason, French teachers are always strict.
Your brother and sister are also competitive spellers. Were you guys just born smart, or did your parents read the dictionary to you at bedtime?
It’s my mom, and all the practising. I really got into spelling when my sister won the regionals. I thought, I can do that, too.
Your prize was $15,000 for your education. If you didn’t have to spend it on school, what would you buy?
I guess maybe books.
What would you like to be in 10 years?
A pop singer. I love ABBA. I’d love to be like them.
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