The tension was thick in the auditorium at East Ridge Middle School last week as hundreds of students and parents watched their favorite young spellers at the annual spelling bee. Coach Noreen Swanson practiced after school with students but said this year it was a challenge due to all of the snowstorms.

“I started coaching them in November once a week but we have had so many snowstorms so it really cut down on our practice time," Swanson said. "Some students dropped out at the last minute.”

There were 22 students who participated in this year’s spelling bee. A hush fell over the crowd as seventh grader Hannah Rapaglia traced imaginary letters on the the palm of her hand, a unique technique that helped her to advance to the third place spot.

Fellow seventh grader Athena Zacharos, last year’s winner, placed second in this year’s bee.

But it's eight grader Avesh Krisna who now holds the title of ERMS’s 2011’s Spelling Bee Championship. Avesh had a lively cheering section rooting for him the whole time, growing louder and more intense as one by one students were knocked from their places.

Assistant Principal Dr. Adam Rosen read words to the students such as “cumulous,” "feloniously”,” and “exhaustion,” which some students may have been feeling from the pressure toward the end.

The competition was so intense that event Rosen got tongue-twisted at times, pronouncing the word "ululate" three times before the student got it right. 

“The judges won’t permit students to begin unless they believe the student is annunciating the proper word," Rosen said.

Dr. Rosen said he enjoyed participating in the event.

“I am definitely a word lover. I practiced in front of a very distinguished and experienced linguist before the competition -- my wife.”  Rosen’s wife Emily was the Spelling Bee Champion for her school.

“We try to recreate the competition conditions as best as possible with the audience, the judges and the moderator so students will be prepared when they advance to the next level," Rosen said.

Students used various “stalling techniques” in order to work out the proper spelling on the word in their heads before attempting to spell it.

“Can you please repeat the word?” one student asked.

“Can you please use it in a sentence?”

“Can I please have the country of origin?”

Coach Swanson said these are all ways to ensure that the student and judges know  which word the students are to spell and to be sure they don’t have it confused with another word.

The judges' table comrised English Department Head Mindi Rappaport, Librarian Mrs. Margaret Inserra and Principal Martin Fiedler.

Coach Swanson said, “We tell students to relax, visualize the word and give yourself time to get your composure.”

Swanson said the list of words students received for their study guide came from Scripps National Spelling Bee, the nation's largest and longest-running educational program. Headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio, the purpose of Scripps is to help students improve their spelling, increase their vocabularies, and develop correct English usage.

From August through October, schools enroll for participation in the 2011 program. During the fall and winter, schools conduct spelling bee programs like the one held at ERMS. The winner of the school's bee then advances to the state and national levels.

One student told her teacher it was her dream to at least get to the third-place spot, according to Swanson, but her dreams were shattered when they found out that this year there were only two spots in the finals, not three like in previous years.

Athena Zacharos and Avesh Krisna will advance to the regional competition at Western Connecticut State University in the spring.

Regardless of who won and who lost, the student’s good character was apparent in the congratulatory hugs and handshakes they exchanged after the intense competition.