Spelling v-i-c-t-o-r-y

COEUR d'ALENE - Kiana Lacroix knows how to spell "victory."

She can also spell "ephemeral," "kielbasa," "melange" and countless other complex words.

But it was the championship word "disputatious" that spelled out victory for the 12-year-old Coeur d'Alene Charter Academy seventh-grader.

Kiana won the 11th annual North Idaho Regional Spelling Bee, which took place early Saturday in Boswell Hall Schuler Performing Arts Center at North Idaho College.

"I'm super happy right now," she said after being showered with colorful confetti on the main stage. "I knew 'dispute.' I figured it out because we're learning Latin at my school so that's kind of helping me."

Kiana's winning delivery came after several one-on-one rounds against 14-year-old Lakes Magnet Middle School eighth-grader Evan Schwaab. Evan lasted through such difficult words as "fantoccini," "bildungsroman" and "keest," but went out in the 35th round because of "volitorial."

"I've been practicing with the (spelling) book every night," he said. "I've always been pretty good at spelling."

In that same round, Kiana was given the word "pollards," a term she had never before heard.

"I just spelled it like it sounded," she said. "I was so surprised to see that green light."

Kiana won a new dictionary, a Samuel Louis Sugarman Award, a one-year membership to Britannica Online Premium, a plaque, a medallion and an all-expense paid trip to Washington, D.C., where she will compete in the Scripps National Spelling Bee May 27-29. The competition will be broadcast on ESPN.

"Getting to see Washington, D.C., would be one of the most amazing moments of my life," Kiana said.

This year's event was one for the history books as more than 50 fourth- through eighth-graders from public, private and home schools were challenged with more than 300 words, the most words ever used in the bee. This is because of the large number of contestants who progressed far into the 35-round tournament.

Spelling bee pronouncer and NIC theater instructor Joe Jacoby presented the words to the participants. They were able to ask him for clarifications such as origin and definition as well as ask him to say the word in a sentence or repeat it.

"There are a lot of words that come from, say, Japanese, or from European traditions or Russian traditions that I've never heard of before, except for doing the bee," he said. "And those are really tough."

Jacoby has been involved in the bee for about six years.

"It's really an honor just to do it, because these kids work so hard," he said. "To be able to be part of supporting their work is really an honor."

The contestants represented schools from all five northern counties. Silver Hills Elementary School fourth-grader Mason Chaffee, 9, of Osburn, traveled to the competition with his proud grandparents. He said being on the stage in front of the full auditorium made him really nervous, and he went out on the word "chalupa," but he is determined to compete again.

"I'm going to read the dictionary," he said.

North Idaho Regional Spelling Bee Coordinator Mindy Patterson, as well as parents and spectators, were proud of the students' achievements.

"They come equipped," Patterson said. "Congratulations to those who qualified for the regional bee this year - it's an amazing accomplishment."