Thirteen-year-old Veronica Goveas looks and acts like a typical 7th grader at North Middle High School in Menomonee Falls. But there is something special that sets her apart.
"She's asked numerous times for different resources. Do you have words? Do you have more words? Do you have last year's words? What about the words that came before those words?" said Sue Lee, K12 enrichment coordinator at North Middle High School.
Goveas asks her teachers for words because she won the regional and state spelling bees and is now about to compete in the Scripps National Spelling Bee in Washington, D.C.
- SPECIAL SECTION: Scripps National Spelling Bee
Veronica practices at home with her mom, dad and younger brother. They use a dictionary with more than 466,000 words.
"When you win the State Spelling Bee they award you the dictionary and trophy along with a packet of stuff to get ready for the National Spelling Bee," Goveas said.
Veronica's dad, Joseph Goveas, said he and his wife Mary are always nervous when Veronica competes, but they do their best to calm her down.
"We like to have her be calmer," Joseph said. "Our hearts could pound but it's important that she keeps her nerves."
Veronica said she has a few tricks of her own to stay cool under pressure, "When I'm up there spelling the word I try to look at a blank wall or see if I can find a familiar face."
The Scripps National Spelling Bee begins May 24.
