Kat Kinsman went to the National Spelling Bee at age 13 in 1986 . Back home , she was an outsider with light - finger ##s , and ##ee braces . Now she was with kids who came for language play , lovely books , good music . gobemouche , phaeochrous , exiguous . Kat did n't win much , but won a friend who kind of understood her .
Kat Kinsman went to the National Spelling Bee at age 13 in 1986 . Back home , she was an outsider with light - finger ##s , and ##ee braces . Now she was with kids who came for language play , lovely books , good music . Kat did n't win much , but won a friend who kind of understood her .