Grace Thomas spells her way to 3rd district spelling bee victory

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Mountain Brook Elementary

When the final word was called, Grace Thomas didn’t rush. Calm and deliberate, the 12-year-old Mountain Brook Elementary student carefully spelled “coercive,” letter by letter, securing her third consecutive Mountain Brook City Schools District Spelling Bee title and cementing her reputation as one of the district’s top young spellers.

For the third straight year, Grace emerged victorious at the district-wide spelling bee, a rare accomplishment that reflects not only her command of language but her discipline, preparation and poise under pressure.

The Mountain Brook City Schools District Spelling Bee featured five students — all of them champions at their individual schools — competing for the opportunity to represent the district at the Jefferson County Spelling Bee later this semester. All Mountain Brook schools were represented except Mountain Brook High School.

Grace clinched the win in the ninth round, outlasting a strong group of competitors that included Jonathan Humphreys of Brookwood Forest Elementary, Daniel Dowdle of Cherokee Bend Elementary, Brooks Averitt of Crestline Elementary and Addy Meadows of Mountain Brook Junior High.

To reach the district competition, Grace first won her classroom spelling bee and then the school-wide bee at Mountain Brook Elementary — no small feat, according to her mother, Ashley Thomas.

“We are so proud of Grace and the hard work that she put into winning the district spelling bee again,” Ashley said. “To get to the district bee, she first had to win her class spelling bee and then the school bee. There are some incredibly bright kids at her school, so getting to the district bee again was fun.”

Grace’s preparation regimen is both intense and intentional. She said she studies every day leading up to a spelling bee, fitting practice into short windows around an already-packed schedule.

“I study every day when I’m preparing for the school or district bee,” Grace said. “I play a lot of music and take multiple dance classes each week, so I study in short sessions before school and between my other activities.”

Her approach to spelling during competition is markedly different from how she practices at home.

“When I’m in a spelling bee, I spell slowly and deliberately so that I don’t miss a word due to carelessness,” she said. “However, at home, I spell very quickly. I can get through hundreds of words in an hour. My record is spelling 1,000 words in an hour.”

Grace said her parents call out words while she practices, and she keeps a running list of any words she misses so she can review them later.

The winning word this year — “coercive” — was not among the most difficult she has encountered, she said, though it did highlight some of the nuances that challenge even experienced spellers.

“For some reason, I had a hard time distinguishing between ‘-ous’ and ‘-us’ suffixes,” Grace said. “I finally learned that ‘-ous’ words are generally adjectives and ‘-us’ words are nouns. Words with a German origin give me the most problems. I love learning tricks to help make words easier.”

Grace’s love of spelling stems from a lifelong love of reading.

“I love words,” she said. “I started reading books when I was 4 years old, and I always have a book with me now, even in the car. Spelling bees are so fun. I look at it as a challenge to learn thousands of words each year.”

While she admits to having a competitive side, Grace said her biggest motivation is self-improvement.

“I want to win, but I mostly want to compete with myself to continue getting better,” she said.

Her mother said Grace is also driven by a strong sense of pride in her school and community.

“Grace wants to do well at everything she does, but she also wants to represent her school well,” Ashley said. “And now that she has made it to the Jefferson County Spelling Bee, she wants to represent the community of Mountain Brook and the school system to the best of her abilities.”

Ashley also credited Mountain Brook Elementary for helping her daughter succeed.

“We are very fortunate to live in Mountain Brook,” she said. “I can’t say enough good things about Mountain Brook Elementary, the administration and the teachers. They love Grace, and she has thrived as a result.”

Outside of spelling, Grace’s talents are wide-ranging. Music is her greatest passion. She plays violin with the Alabama Symphony Youth Orchestra, participates in the Alabama All-State Orchestra, competes in fiddle contests and performs most Sundays with the Brookwood Strings at Brookwood Baptist Church. She also plays piano and flute and is a member of the Mountain Brook beginning band. In addition, she dances with the Pre-Teen Performance Team at Birmingham Dance Theatre.

Grace believes her musical training helps her stay calm in competition.

“I don’t get nervous before spelling bees because I know that I’ve worked hard,” she said. “Playing music helps because I’m used to performing in front of a crowd.”

Now a three-time district champion, Grace will advance to the Jefferson County Spelling Bee. Regardless of the outcome, her achievement has already made an impact in Mountain Brook — a testament to preparation, perseverance and a genuine love of learning.