FORT SMITH, Ark. — If you want something bad enough, you'll work for it.
"Every day, even on weekends, I study," said Zeeshan Anower, a 10-year-old who went to the Scripts National Spelling Bee on Tuesday, May 30. He won the Arkansas State Spelling Bee in March. How did the 10-year-old do it you wonder?
Zeeshan says he studies the dictionary and several word lists. "I've also been studying vocab words and everything."
"I can finally achieve my dream of being a national speller," Zeeshan said.
On Tuesday, he represented Woods Elementary in Fort Smith and the entire state of Arkansas. "Now I get to have to represent like, the whole state of Arkansas," Zeeshan said. "So it's kind of pressuring."
Zeeshan called this opportunity a privilege. "A privilege in order to represent everyone and everything you care about, and the state that you just love," he said.
On Tuesday, he competed against more than 200 other spellers from all 50 states.
On Wednesday, May 31, Zeeshan lost in the World Meaning Round. The spelling bee question was "Someone described as lugubrious is marked by?" Zeeshan's answer was "good humor or high spirits", and the correct answer was "sorrow or grief".
Before the competition, Zeeshan said that no matter what happened, he could always count on the love and support of Arkansans. "I appreciate all of Fort Smith supporting me and cheering me on," he said.
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