But he knew how it sounded, and he took a deep breath and spelled.

The word won him the Spotsylvania County spelling bee and the chance to compete this weekend in the Regional Spelling Bee, sponsored by The Free Lance-Star.

For the record, "futilitarian" means "one who believes human striving is futile"--a definition that couldn't be more at odds with the attitudes of Robert and the 15 other youngsters who have made it to the regional finals.

Most have had to win several bees to earn a spot at the finals, representing their schools or school divisions.

The regional bee, sponsored by The Free Lance-Star, takes place at 2 p.m. Saturday at the James Monroe High School Auditorium in Fredericksburg. It's free and open to the public.

The newspaper gives the winner prizes, including an expenses-paid trip to Washington in May to compete in the Scripps National Spelling Bee.

Competition is stiff every step of the way.

Hollis Cuffie won a classroom bee, then a grade-level bee at his school before competing in the Stafford County school division bee.

"The second-place competitor was amazing," he recalled. When she finally spelled a word incorrectly, Hollis said, "I was happy I didn't have to spell it."

Instead, he was asked to spell "physique," a word he'd seen only recently in a book he was reading.

That book, "The Mysterious Benedict Society," also included a word he'd gotten earlier in the competition: "rendezvous."

"I read a lot," Hollis said, "and I remember all the words I read."

Other top spellers readily remember the winning words that earned them spots at the regional bee.

For Alicia Paulose, representing Fredericksburg schools, it was "apricot," a word she recognized and spelled with confidence.

For Garrett Quigley of St. William of York Catholic School in Stafford, the word was "daffodil."

No problem. "I'd seen it before, and when I see words printed they stick in my head," he said.

Good spelling may start with natural talent, but to compete at the regional level, most students do a lot of studying, too.

Alicia said she studies online word lists and is sometimes quizzed by her brother. Garrett has been looking through a dictionary he received for winning his school bee.

But inevitably, words come up that spellers have never heard. In those cases, they can ask questions such as language of origin or to hear the word used in a sentence. And then they have to take their best shot.

"I have to try to sound it out," Alicia said.

Laura Moyer: 540/374-5417
Email: lmoyer@freelancestar.com