Gardnerville Elementary School sixth-grader Lucas Gantner said he was a little nervous when the district-wide spelling bee began on Feb. 11.
To make matters worse, Lucas was selected to go first.
"We had to pick numbers," said the 12-year-old. "My friend picked 17. Guess what I picked? Number one."
Lucas said his first word was "protein." After spelling that and a few more words correctly, he fell into a groove and became less anxious.
"I got used to it, and was a little calmer," he said. "It was fun competing against people my own age."
Lucas survived about five rounds before he went head to head with an astute sixth-grader from Jacks Valley Elementary School named Aimee Emerson.
"It was hard," Lucas said. "Some of the words were very long."
The students contended another five or so rounds until Aimee missed a word. Then it was up to Lucas to spell "prerogative" correctly, which he did. But district rules mandate that the winner must spell two words in a row to cinch the title. Lucas said his final word was "pasteurize."
"I didn't practice a whole lot," Lucas said, "but I knew how to spell 'pasteurize' because I read the word off a milk carton during breakfast."
Lucas spelled the word correctly and took the competition. He will now represent the district at the state bee in Las Vegas on March 7.
"I feel pretty good. I'm happy," Lucas said.
But he said he will no longer avoid practice. He is currently studying word lists and Greek and Latin roots.
"I set a goal to win the district, so I could visit my cousin in Vegas," he said.
He said his new goal is to win state, so he can attend the national competition in Washington D.C. and visit his brother, who is a marine stationed near the capital.
"If I went to nationals, I'd see if my brother could be in the color guard for it," Lucas said. "I think I have a good shot at state."
Lucas' parents, Tim and Rachel Gantner, attributed their son's success to his penchant for books.
"He's an avid reader, and that's where he picks up those words," Tim Gantner said. "He reads at an 11th or 12th grade level."
Rachel Gantner said she was nervous watching her son in action.
"I knew he could spell really well. He's always been a reader," she said. "But he's shy, and getting up and doing it in front of people is different. But he did good."
