Mitsuki Ota (Speller 106) had quite a cheering section at the start of the week. The Maryland seventh grader's whole class came to the Bee to watch him spell "glockenspiel" and "ferrotype" in early rounds.
"I heard their cheers," he said.
Mitsuki didn't advance to the Semifinals, but said after a quick dip in the hotel pool, he was feeling better. Having his classmates there helped.
"I honestly didn't think they could come. Since they all came, I felt like I was in happiness," he said. "Their cheers helped me, too."
Before the finals, Mitsuki said he hoped Arvind Mahankali (Speller 163) would win it all. He did, on "knaidel."
"I'll be in there watching, rooting for Arvind," he said. "He's been in third place all these years."
