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Family tradition

by TARYN THOMPSON/Staff writer
| March 20, 2014 9:00 PM

COEUR d'ALENE - Spelling is in Preston Pfau's genes.

And like everyone in his family who has competed in a spelling bee, one word proved his undoing. His brother was foiled by "gestalt." His mother succumbed to "beautiful" as a sixth-grader.

At last year's North Idaho Regional Spelling Bee, Pfau inserted an extra "e" to the word doctrinaire.

"I didn't go with my gut," he said. "My gut said to skip the 'e.'"

The North Idaho Christian School seventh-grader will compete against 55 other top spellers in grades four through eight at North Idaho College on Saturday. The winner will receive a trip to the Scripps National Spelling Bee in Washington, D.C., with all expenses paid by The Press.

Pfau has stepped up his training in the month leading to the regional competition. He uses an online program to practice and keep track of words he misspells. He reviews parts of language and word origins. He comes up with "weird tricks" to help him recall how words are spelled.

"You lept" reminds him that julep is spelled with an "e," not an "i."

"It's really stupid," he said, "but it works for me."

Whatever time he has aside from school and participating in the Christian Youth Theater, Pfau commits it to practicing for the spelling bee.

"I do spelling, eat dinner, do more spelling," Pfau said.

His only misgiving is that he has little left for two of his favorite things: video games and Rubik's cubes.

A year ago he began "cubing" and has become an expert at solving cubes of all sizes and shapes. His personal best is 15 seconds to solve a 3x3 cube.

He recently started making his own instructional videos and posting them to YouTube as "PrestoCuber."

His mother, Ann Pfau, said she is proud of her son and, especially, the way he encourages his competitors.

Last year, "every time someone would get out, he'd encourage them and say, 'Good job,'" Ann Pfau said.

He's going into Saturday's competition a confident speller. Still, he will say a prayer before and after competing, just like last year.

"I know if I do my best and I don't make it, it's God's will," he said.

And there is always next year.

* If you go *

• What: North Idaho Regional Spelling Bee

• When: 9 a.m. Saturday

• Where: Schuler Auditorium, North Idaho College

Hosted by NIC and sponsored by the Coeur d'Alene Press