Youngest-ever Spelling Bee contestant "disappointed" by mistake, vows to return

Lori Anne Madison, 6, of Woodbridge, Va., the youngest speller ever to compete in the National Spelling Bee, reacts after misspelling her word, ingluvies, in the third round of the bee in Oxon Hill, Md., on Wednesday, May 30, 2012. / AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin

(CBS/AP) OXON HILL, Md. - The youngest speller in National Spelling Bee history said Thursday that she knew the word she misspelled during the competition, but she was too tired, bored and stressed out to concentrate when she stepped to the microphone.

Six-year-old Lori Anne Madison of Lake Ridge, Va., fell four points short of making the semifinals at the 85th Scripps National Spelling Bee. If she had spelled "ingluvies" correctly during Wednesday's preliminary rounds — she began the word with an "e" — and gotten one more word correct on a computer test, she would have achieved a qualifying score. (According to dictionary.com, "ingluvies" is defined as a "crop, or craw, of birds.")

"I was really disappointed that I misspelled the word. I knew the word," Lori Anne said Thursday. "It was just too bad that I misspelled the word."

Admittedly overwhelmed by the media attention, the home-schooled prodigy held court with reporters for 25 minutes Thursday morning. Although she wasn't always forthcoming with her answers, making clear she'd rather be outside playing with her friends. Her blue eyes lit up when talking about her experience at a barbecue on Monday.

"I blew some absolutely huge bubbles, like this big!" she said, holding her hands a foot apart and reminding everyone of her age.

6-year-old girl qualifies for National Spelling Bee

Waiting for her turn to spell wasn't so much fun. She hadn't gotten enough sleep and came close to nodding off, and the hour-and-a-half wait "seemed like two millennia," she said.

"I was just stressed. It was a really, really long wait," Lori Anne said. "Overall, it was just boring. Really boring! Really boring!"

She did enjoy interacting with the other spellers — many of whom are more than twice her age and twice her size — and she gets a thrill out of hearing a word she knows and spelling it correctly. She pledged to return next year.

"I just love spelling, so I'm really excited to go to next year's bee — if I go, which is probably going to be a yes," she said.

The news conference was at times awkward, with Lori Anne squirming in her chair when asked to talk about her hobbies and the interesting people she's met this week. She fielded a question from a Finnish reporter about how to improve the popular online game Angry Birds, which was developed in Finland.

"If anything, they should add some more birds," Lori Anne said.

She also subjected spelling bee director Paige Kimball, who won the bee in 1981 by spelling "sarcophagus," to some good-natured ribbing.

"When you won, the words were much easier," Lori Anne said. "Someone won on `therapy.' I mean, come on!"

[lillyhorton]

She doesn't care what we think of her only what she thinks of herself. This child will grow up to think she must be perfect and everytime she thinks she fell short she will try harder. We will look at her and say "relax". She won't be able to. She will need meds.

[gdjordan]

That's quite the bold prediction about the future of a six year old. From what I've read in the stories about her she seems quite bright and well rounded for a six year old, telling stories of bubbles she blew and fielding questions about the Angry Birds game.

[roblearns]

I have to pile on here, where does this come from?

Is it because she tried to do something instead of quitting immediately? Is it because she came close to winning, instead of washing out immediately?

It's better to never try anything in life? She seems absolutely normal to me. She's disappointed - who wouldn't be. She's not really making excuses either, she simply was fielding questions by reporters.
Frankly that's not easy to do.

[Jaylah54100]

While Lori Anne is incredibly gifted, she is -- after all -- only 6 years old.

Now she knows what it's like and I'm betting she's back next year!

[John782011]

She may be disappointeed, but I would wager we will see her again next year and for years to come. I am glad she was excited about the bubble and other things kids her age are. Have a wonderful summer, Miss Madison.

[Junklekennedy]

If that's her in the picture then her eyes are clearly bronw, not blue!

[fijiwaterrules]

The irony that you're "parsing word" yet can't spell! Fantastic!