0423 MPS-v3 - Flipbook - Page 7
u
c
R
O
t
E
p
S
S
n
E
m
c
S
L
L
e
S
S
Orchard Hollow Elementary School student
Tia Geisler wins the Tri-County Spelling Bee
norak.” “Muesli.” “Neonatology.” “Darjeeling.” “Pilaster.”
Hearing these words in conversation would draw a blank for many of us.
But each has become second nature to
Tia Geisler, a fourth-grader from Orchard
Hollow Elementary, who won the TriCounty Spelling Bee on March 1. She’ll
be heading to Washington, D.C., in May
to compete in the renowned Scripps National Spelling Bee.
Since 1925, children from across the
country have participated in classroom,
school and regional spelling bees in the
hopes of making it to the legendary contest created by the Cincinnati-based print
and broadcasting company.
Tia’s road to D.C. began in January
when she competed with fifth through
eighth graders in local contests. In the
Mentor School District Spelling Bee,
Tia’s winning word was “Vesuvian,” and
she aced “Betrothal” in February’s Lake
County Spelling Bee.
Then it was onto the Tri-County
Spelling Bee, comprised of students in
Ashtabula, Geauga and Lake counties,
where Tia was declared the victor, after
successfully spelling “Rollicking.”
“The Tri-County Bee took about 20
minutes and went eight rounds,” Tia’s
dad, Regis Geisler III, recalls. “All the
kids, including Tia, were really nervous
and their voices were shaking. As an observer in the audience, I noticed that in
about the fifth round or so, Tia settled in.
She was getting over her nervousness and
getting into the zone. I didn’t think anyone would stop her.”
An avid reader who’s currently enjoying the exploits of Harry Potter, Tia’s passion for books began early.
“My parents read to me every single
night before I could even read,” she says.
“I probably didn’t understand what the
stories were about, but I was still very interested in them.”
A
After a full day of school and a slate
of seasonal extracurricular activities that
include softball, soccer and basketball,
Tia finishes homework, which her mom,
Melly Geisler, reviews upon completion.
Then, she settles in with Regis to continue
learning the nuances of the 4,000 words
contained in “Words of Champions,” the
study resource for the Scripps Bee, officially selected from the “Merriam-Webster Unabridged” dictionary.
“When Tia won her third-grade spelling bee last year, she was so thrilled, and
decided she wanted to defend her championship,” Regis says. “After she won the
fourth-grade bee, the Mentor School District sent a letter suggesting she learn lists
from ‘Words of Champions,’ so pretty
much every night, we sit down and study
between 30 and 60 words from the book.”
As Tia prepares for the national spotlight in D.C., she reflects on what being
there means to her.
“The Scripps spelling bee is so important to me because I want to represent
my school — and basically say that even
young people like me can do amazing
stuff,” she says.
Her dad echoes that sentiment.
“From the start, my wife and I made
the commitment that we want Tia to
be the best she can be in life,” Regis
reflects. “Celebrating successes, keeping track of homework and tests, letting our daughter know we care about
what’s happening in her life, and understanding that learning happens not
just in the classroom but also at home,
are ways every parent can help their
children succeed.”
mentorschools.net
7
