Aditi stood on the large wooden stage at her school in New Jersey.
She was eleven years old and very nervous about the spelling bee.
Her hands shook slightly as she held her white number card.
The principal called the first group of students to the microphone.
Aditi took a deep breath and listened carefully to her first word.
It was a simple word, so she spelled it perfectly.
The second round of the competition was much harder for everyone.
Many students made spelling mistakes and had to leave the stage.
Aditi had to spell a difficult science word, but she remembered her practice.
She got it right, and her parents smiled from the front row.
Soon, only Aditi and a boy named Leo were left in the contest.
It was time for the exciting final round of the spelling bee.
The judge looked at Aditi and asked her to spell the word“rhythm”.
Aditi thought about the strange word and pictured the letters in her head.
She started with an R, but she accidentally forgot the first H.
A loud bell rang to show that her spelling was incorrect.
Aditi felt a little sad as she walked away from the microphone.
However, her parents clapped loudly to show their support and love.
She realized that reaching the final round was actually a great achievement.
She felt very proud and excited to try again next year.