Student Spotlight: Brother-Sister Duo Form Spelling Bee Dynasty

For Mikulskis, spelling seems to run in the blood. Fresh off her victory in last year’s McClure Junior High School Spelling Bee, Western Springs eighth-grader Clare Mikulski spelled her way to victory again this year—with her sixth-grade brother, Tim, beating out dozens of older students to finish second and crediting the Mikulski household with the top two spots.

Despite Tim’s joking threats of poisoning her drink and taking her spot, Clare went onto the next level of competition on Feb. 10, but was unfortunately eliminated in the second round. However, her two-time McClure championship still stands as a significant accomplishment—one Tim is in prime position to repeat.

Patch caught up with the super-speller siblings and their playful banter:

How did you guys get started doing spelling bees?

Clare Mikulski: “We lived in Arkansas from when I was in kindergarten to when I was in fourth grade, and they had one there every year, and neither of us ever won there—”

Tim Mikulski: “By the way, Clare, it’s ‘banana,’ not ‘bananana.’”

C: “—yeah. So, they didn’t have them at the elementary schools here, but we started again at McClure.”

Tim, you’re teasing her, but you were second this year. What did she outspell you on?

T: (sighs) “‘Monstrosity.’”

C: “He spelled it with a ‘c.’ So close.”

Do you two study for this?

T: “They gave us a spelling packet, and they have a bunch of different words, sorted by what language they originated from.”

C: “I looked at it. I don’t know if you did.”

T: “I spent like ten minutes looking at it in study hall.”

So where do you think your spelling prowess really comes from?

C: “Reading—we read a lot, and you see words there, and it helps. [I read] fiction… I’m a big Harry Potter fan, [and] I like Greek mythology.”

T: “Percy Jackson was a good series.”

C: “We steal from each other—by the way, when are you gonna give me When You Reach Me back?”

T: “Oh, I have it in my room… [My favorite author is] Gary Paulsen. I like the Hatchet books.”

What other hobbies do you guys have?

T: “I do a little bit of everything. I do baseball, basketball, football, baritone [horn]… Boy Scouts, play on the computer… I do a lot of Legos.”

C: “I play basketball—that’s about it… I go on the Internet a lot, watch a lot of T.V.—I’m a big CSI fan—I hang out with friends.”

What are you looking forward to in high school at LTHS?

T: “Personally, I’m looking forward to the different electives and such. Pretty much, home ec is the only new thing from elementary to middle school. But in high school, I hear there’s so much more you can take—woodwork, metalshop.”

C: “Just the whole experience, I guess. Bigger schools, electives, clubs—it all sounds so much bigger and newer. It’s going to be interesting.”

And, for a cliché question, what do you want to be when you grow up?

C: “Author, hopefully!”

T: “Biologist—marine biology.”

C: “I’ll be living on his couch, and occasionally he’ll be living on mine.”