MONROE - Lola Endicott is only 11 years old, but she knows how to spell "mythomane."
The word, which refers to a person with "an excessive or abnormal propensity for lying and exaggerating" according to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, was one of the hardest words she had to spell at the CESA 2 regional spelling bee on Feb. 10.
Lola, a fifth-grade student at Northside Elementary, came in first place at the regional competition and is now preparing to compete in the statewide bee in Madison on March 18.
To prepare, Lola said she spends 15 to 20 minutes every evening drilling with her parents and a list of words provided by the Scripps National Spelling Bee.
The list contains hundreds of words, categorized by national origin, including "yurt" (Turkish; a circular tent used by the people of Central Asia), "cheongsam" (Chinese; a southern Chinese dress) and "pulchritude" (English; beauty).
Lola said she thinks she won her school bee because she reads a lot of books - fantasy books, mostly, she said.
Lola's mother, Sarah Endicott, said Lola also learned some spellings by playing the video game "The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker" with her father, English teacher Kristopher Endicott.
Sarah Endicott said the fact that Lola's father is an English teacher is helpful because of a 2013 rule that requires contestants to provide the definition of certain words.
Lola said she is nervous about the upcoming competition.
"It would be nice to go to nationals, but I don't really want to," she said.
"It would make me uncomfortable if everyone started making a big deal about it."
The word, which refers to a person with "an excessive or abnormal propensity for lying and exaggerating" according to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, was one of the hardest words she had to spell at the CESA 2 regional spelling bee on Feb. 10.
Lola, a fifth-grade student at Northside Elementary, came in first place at the regional competition and is now preparing to compete in the statewide bee in Madison on March 18.
To prepare, Lola said she spends 15 to 20 minutes every evening drilling with her parents and a list of words provided by the Scripps National Spelling Bee.
The list contains hundreds of words, categorized by national origin, including "yurt" (Turkish; a circular tent used by the people of Central Asia), "cheongsam" (Chinese; a southern Chinese dress) and "pulchritude" (English; beauty).
Lola said she thinks she won her school bee because she reads a lot of books - fantasy books, mostly, she said.
Lola's mother, Sarah Endicott, said Lola also learned some spellings by playing the video game "The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker" with her father, English teacher Kristopher Endicott.
Sarah Endicott said the fact that Lola's father is an English teacher is helpful because of a 2013 rule that requires contestants to provide the definition of certain words.
Lola said she is nervous about the upcoming competition.
"It would be nice to go to nationals, but I don't really want to," she said.
"It would make me uncomfortable if everyone started making a big deal about it."