AIKEN, SC – Ayla Holmes walked to the microphone and took a deep breath to gather just a little more oxygen for the important task at hand.
Holmes would eventually exhale as a champion Feb. 7 during the 2022 Aiken County Scripps Spelling Bee Finals after the Paul Knox Middle School seventh-grader correctly spelled the word “bungee” to win the Aiken County title at the Amentum Center for the Performing Arts.
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“I know oxygen helps with how your brain thinks and the better your brain thinks the better performance you have,” said Ayla following the bee. “I typically look at a wall and imagine the word up there on the wall and I spell it as I see it.”
“It’s incredible. I was honestly not expecting it,” added Ayla. “I was nervous to begin with and my legs felt like noodles, but it felt good to win. I feel incredible. The toughest word for me was entreat. Sometimes the simplest words can have a completely different spelling.”
Kaitlyn Toole, a fifth-grade student at Byrd Elementary, was the runner-up. The third-place winner was Jackson Beach of North Augusta Middle School.
“I’m excited and still nervous,” said Kaitlyn. “I’m nerve-sited. You can go ahead and put it in the dictionary as a new word.”
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Each participant in the spelling bee received a $100 gift card to Barnes and Noble. The runner-up received a plaque and a $100 Apple gift card and the winner received a plaque, a $100 Apple gift card, and an Apple iPad.
Amentum, Savannah River Remediation, and The Aiken Standard were this year’s spelling bee sponsors.
Ayla said she will be studying hard for the regional bee on March 12, 2022, where she will represent Aiken County at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, N.C.
“I don’t have a lot of free time, but all of my free time will be dedicated to studying,” said Ayla. “I’m going to try my best.”
