WEST HAZLETON -- N-a-t-i-o-n-a-l-s.
That's where two students from our area are heading.
Brandi Naprava, a sixth grade student at West Hazleton Elementary/Middle School is making the trip to compete in the Scripps National Spelling Bee.
"I'm just going to keep telling myself that it doesn't matter if I win, I'm just here for the fun of it," said Naprava.
Brandi's been preparing ever since she won the regional competition in Luzerne County earlier this year and she has a strategy for the national competition.
"I just go with the first one I think of, I always go with my gut."
She also gave Newswatch 16 some insider tips on the spelling bee, like why ask to hear the origin of the word or to use it in a sentence.
"When you ask for it in a sentence, sometimes you don't recognize the word, but when they read it in a sentence you're like, 'Oh, wait. I read that in a book once!'"
Nevaeh Lopez, a seventh grade student at Shenandoah Valley Junior-Senior High School is also making the trip. She says she's equal parts excited and nervous.
"It really is a mix of everything."
Lopez has been preparing for the spelling bee for three years.
Her coach Cathy Bronakowski will be in the audience for the competition and said Lopez is ready to go.
"Just to be relaxed and confident."
So what's the toughest word Lopez ever had to spell?
"OK this is a really long one: humuhumunukunukuapua."
By the way, that's the state fish of Hawaii and we had to Google how to spell it.
Both girls will head to the Washington DC area this weekend and the national spelling bee starts on Tuesday.
