Texas sixth grader Kirsten Santos, speller 189, said being a Finalist is intimidating.
“I don’t know which word I’m going to get,” she said. “Spelling is very intricate. One wrong, and you’re out.”
But, she said, she likes the fact that you don’t know what comes next. There’s drama and exhilaration, she said.
Kirsten likes to read, sing and write poems and motivational quotes.
She said the Bee has helped with her self-confidence and it’s helped build her character. Persistence when she’s misspelled and determination to get her word right have made her better, she said.
“You might be scared, but you have to do it,” she said. “You have to face your fears. If you never try, you never succeed. Maybe I’ll be a good underdog story.”