County Spelling Bee Buzzes through College Park

An actor stands alone delivering lines to an audience obscured by blinding stage lights, and though they are invisible, the weight of their eyes and their expectations can always be felt. This nerve-racking experience is known as a soliloquy, and the campus in College Park has seen its share of them, but never quite like this. Evelyn Jo Burch, 14, stood alone as she gave her own dramatic performance Friday night, successfully spelling "soliloquy" to win the 2011 Prince George's County Spelling Bee and advance to the Scripps National Spelling Bee where she will compete for $30,000.

Twenty middle school students from around Prince George's County took the stage at the 11th annual competition, where they were asked to spell everything from "knapsack" to "narcissistic." Incorrect spellings were met by moments of tense silence broken by the "ding" of a small bell. The sound of losing a shot at $30,000 acoustically synonymous with requesting service at a hotel front desk.

By the fourth round, the difficulty had increased appreciably and a barrage of foreign words, such as "fusillade" and "tahini," eliminated three of the last four contestants. own aspiring paleobotanist Cheyenne Lewis was eliminated by the Dutch/Afrikaans word "apartheid."

The last speller left on stage as round five began, Evelyn Burch had to successfully spell one final word or the contestants dismissed in the previous round would return to the stage. As moderator and WJLA-ABC 7 weather forecaster David Zahren gave the final word, Burch lifted her left hand to serve as an imaginary tablet - "writing" the word while announcing each letter. When Zahren emphatically responded, "You got it!" Burch hid her face in her hands, unbelieving, as the tension on her face was finally replaced by a smile.

Though there could only be one winner, every student who participated in the event benefited. As Zahren and Prince George's County Executive Rushern Baker reminded the audience before the competition began, all of students were winners for having made it so far. Cheyenne Lewis, who tied for second place, said that she was glad she competed. "As terrifying as it was, I liked the excitement."

Patch's cameras were at the event and we've highlighted some of the sights and sounds of the "Bee." If you have photos or videos, please feel free to share them with us!

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