Little Inklings 2020-21

27 I don?t know how I ended up being a finalist in this spelling bee contest; It?s not like I study words all day long. My family are immigrants and from Cuba, so spelling words was how my parents learned the English language. They needed to sharpen their skills to gain jobs and communicate with the people around them. This spelling bee is my chance to prove that women are as smart as men, and I am consumed by this thought. All of a sudden, I look at the other participants, and panic rises in my throat. I am the only girl, plus I am the only minority sitting on this stage. I realize that the stakes are high and sweat drips down my left cheek and I start to breathe loud like a train traveling through a tunnel. A scared expression emerges across my face. My panic begins to rise when I hear the moderator say, ?Zarah please walk to the left podium on the stage.? I immediately panic, and I feel as if my life is flashing before my eyes. As I walk to the microphone, I realize it is taller than me and I have to stand on my tiptoes to be heard. ?Spell reconciliation,?the moderator announced. My eyes blinked a few times before the first letter sputtered out of my mouth. Reconciliation. The audience went crazy, and I noticed that everyone was cheering for me. A delighted smile emerged from my lips when I sat down to wait for my next turn. I watch as a parade of boys approach the microphone, and I notice that none of them have to strain to reach the microphone. W or ds Cr eate Oppor tun i t i es

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