By Dave Vieser. If you live in Cornelius and need to know how a word is spelled, 10-year old Nina Whiteside can help. She won the Cornelius Elementary School’s spelling bee for three consecutive years and also placed third in last year’s regional spelling bee.

In the most recent Cornelius competition, should took first place by spelling the world alfresco correctly. She also handled some other tricky words on the way to victory including contentious and hubbub.

How did she become such a proficient speller? “Nina was motivated to participate in the spelling bee through playing Scrabble,” said her mother Daniela.

“My favorite subjects are writing and math. I also enjoy playing basketball and soccer. Someday I hope to become
an author.”

— Nina Whiteside

The Whitesides—Daniela and husband Brandon, Nina and 12-year-old sister Lexi—live in Patrick’s Purchase. In addition to being an award-winning speller, she can also read and write in German. Daniela was born in German, “but Nina was born here. She has attended schools in Germany for a few weeks during the past two summers, which has helped her pick up the language.”

As for school, “my favorite subjects are writing and math,” she said. “I also enjoy playing basketball and soccer. Someday I hope to become an author.”

She’ll be moving on from Cornelius Elementary after this school year is over, and head to Bailey Middle School, where she intends to continue competing in the spelling bee.