Masterful Mikkel

Winner of the 2018 Kool Kidz Sancom National Spelling Bee Mikkel Nicholai Acquart has learned how to put one of life’s most valuable lessons to use while preparing for the competition. Proper time management.

It was the nine-year-old’s his first time in the competition and he told Newsday Kids all about his experience and how he prepared for it.

The Spelling Bee finals took place at the Cipriani College of Labour and Co-operative Studies, Valsayn on June 5 where 27 finalists squared off.

Mikkel attends San Fernando TML Primary School and was one of the students chosen to represent his school.

“I had to learn a lot of words. My teacher and principal had put together several lists we used on the lunch and recess periods to study the words. I did extra preparation at home as well with the help of my parents,” Mikkel said.

He said he learnt to spell over 200 words and it paid off.

“I knew I was going to win when it came down to three contestants. The judge announced that we would be asked to spell two consecutive words—I spelt the two words correctly and I knew I had won.”

The words were unpredictable and cylindrical.

The Standard Three student from Gasparillo also did a lot of additional research with the supervision of his mother on previous international and regional spelling bee lists.

“We would watch spelling bee competitions, and any word I came across that I did not know I would find the meaning of it.”

Mikkel even spelt one of the longest words in the dictionary for Newsday Kids with ease. Pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanoconiosis, which is a lung disease a person can get from inhaling fine ash and dust.

“My teachers worked really hard with me. The weekend before finals the principal came in and worked with me over the weekend just to make sure I was ready.”

But Mikkel isn’t just about spelling. He enjoys playing football at his school.

“I also like travelling to Grenada because my grandfather is from Hope, St Andrews. I get to do horseback riding and all sorts of fun things with my family during the July/August vacation.”

So how does someone his age manage to get so much done?

“I was taught how to manage my time, so I get my homework done on my own.”

And he does well in his academics too, getting in the 90s in each subject. But he does have his favourites.

“I like mathematics because I do really well in it and I like to add, subtract and divide.”

He wants to attend Naparima College and dreams of one day becoming a lawyer, and ultimately president of the United States of America. “I was born the same year Obama (Barack) became president of the US, and to know that inspires me since I was born in the US as well.”

His advice to children who are called upon to represent their school or in pursuit of a goal is, “keep on going, if you keep on pushing yourself you can make it to achieve whatever you want, but you must never give up.”