JEFFERSON — One by one, the competitors fell, until only Mary Harkness remained.

Stepping excitedly to the front, the Jefferson Academy fifth-grader placed both hands on the microphone, adjusting it so that the device would catch every letter she uttered.

With quiet determination, she said “diorama, d-i-o-r-a-m-a, diorama” and looked to the judges for confirmation.

With a nod of their heads they confirmed what the audience already knew, Mary was the Jefferson City Schools System Spelling Bee winner for 2010.

To win the title, Mary had to beat 24 other fourth- through eighth-grade students on Friday, during the systemwide competition.
After winning a championship, many celebrate with a dance or other display of exuberance.

Mary settled for a more subdued approach.

“I am Mary Harkness from fifth grade, yay,” she said when asked to introduce herself after spelling the winning word.
As the title winner, Mary said her recipe for success was simple.

“I just hoped for the best,” she said. “I didn’t study a lot, but I do read a lot. My dad has gotten me started reading (adult-level) books.”

Additionally, Mary hoped for rain.

“Rain is my good luck charm,” she said.

And rain it did — from the beginning to the end of the competition, which was held in the performing arts center at Jefferson High School.

The competition lasted for six rounds, with competitors misspelling such words as carnivore, vogue, diesel and omnipotent.

Last year’s systemwide winner, Daniel Kimmel, who successfully spelled words like gregarious in previous rounds, was eliminated during his fourth trip to the microphone.

Seventh-grader Emily Elrod, a Jefferson Middle School student, secured the runner-up position.

Mary will compete in the districtwide spelling bee at the end of this month in Suwanee.