BALTIMORE — Spelling can be a daunting task for a lot of us, but to do it in front of friends and family?
"I thought I'd be nervous if I was on stage in front of people."
Sheesh, you and me both Omari. But he and the rest of the third-, fourth-, and fifth-graders competed in a spelling bee ahead of the first movie screening night at Herbert Street Park in West Baltimore.
"This is good, this is the first event of this sort that we've had."
In 2020, the West North Avenue Development Authority invested in this space to tear down vacant row houses and create a green space.
Now, they are investing in activating the space to help make it a place where families feel comfortable and safe.
"Any time you have something that the community can enjoy, the children can enjoy, that parents can come out [to], feel safe and just say look, 'I'm going to let you loose for a little while and you can all just run around.'"
Okay, back to the competition, it was fierce. Eighteen kids from two neighborhood schools followed the Scripps Howard Spelling Bee rules to duke it out.
"Thinking about stock, like, s-t-o-c-k, and then I tapped it out," Kaliah said.
"I thought I would get second place, but I knew I would try hard," said Hailee.
Hailee and Kaliah were the third- and fourth-grade winners. It was a challenge for each of them but they persevered and came out on top.
Best friends and third-graders Omari and Makai didn't win first place, but they were winners in their own right.
"I went to fifth-grade level, and she went to third-grade level," Omari said.
But Makai will be ready for next time. The word that got her out...
"T-o-a-d," she said.
At the end of the day, all of the kids had fun.
"My favorite thing about spelling is how it builds my knowledge," Kaliah said.
Kaliah already has her sights on her next spelling goal.
"To be the city spelling bee champion," she said.
But first, she'll sit back and relax with her family.
