Paul Keaton, speller 92, said it’s his sister’s influence that got him interested in the spelling bee.
“I wouldn’t have done it had she not done it,” he said. “I did it because I admired her.”
Paul is an eighth grader from Pikeville, Kentucky. This is his second bee, and his first finals. Paul’s sister, Emily, competed in the national bee from 2009 to 2013. In 2013, she tied for 13th.
“She didn’t have to say a word, yet she taught me lessons,” he said. “Persistence and hard work always pay off.”
Paul said he studied for a bit this afternoon, then he rested.
“I’m excited,” he said. “I’m anticipating things.”
He misspelled "poikilitic" and is out.