Oakridge Middle School student prepares for second Scripps National Spelling Bee

Oakridge Middle School student Bharath Ram gets nervous before he starts to spell a word. If he knows it, he gets calmer, but he can't keep his nerves at bay. If he doesn't know it, he's done.

At the microphone, he receives his word. He asks some questions then confidently begins to spell. Like a metronome, he takes his time spelling — letter by letter — with a measured beat. 

His love of words got him to this point. For the second time, Ram, 14, will compete at the 92nd Scripps National Spelling Bee in Washington, D.C. It kicks off May 26.

He fell short last year by finishing near the 40th mark in Round 3, just missing the semifinals.

Ram describes the Scripps bee as highly competitive yet encouraging to connect with other students who share his love of words. 

"It's not just spelling," he said. "It (spelling), itself, is a limited discipline. It's more spelling lumped in with vocabulary, lumped in with knowing words. It's more about language."

More:Collier student just misses semifinals of Scripps National Spelling Bee

In March, he won Collier County's Spelling Bee after spelling "saboteur." The Optimist Club of Naples sponsored the bee. 

At Oakridge Middle, Ram reached celebrity status when his teachers asked him to autograph the school district's calendar when he became the cover star for March. 

"My school has been really supportive," Ram said. "I always get, 'Good Luck!' or, 'Congratulations!' if I'm about to do something."

He's ready for Scripps, he said. He feels more prepared than ever. 

"I'll know what more to expect," Ram said. "I'll know the general format. I'll be a little less nervous."

Last year, some Scripps spellers put together a group chat to support each other. Ram said he has received text messages a couple of times this competition season. The spellers cheered each other on as their school spelling bees popped up. 

Ram is starting to get back into studying for the national bee after taking some time off. He uses several online tools and a traditional dictionary to run words through his memory.

He balances studying with his other school work. In his spare time, he plays piano and cello.

"The same way I would normally balance school, just add more to the list and see how you work it out," Ram said.

Ram started studying more on his own this year. His dad, Ram Kumar, and mom, Rekha, and little brother, Naresh, are still a support system, he said. 

Kumar said his son is gaining crucial know-how through meeting like-minded kids and competing on stage.

"It is a lot about spelling, but it's also a lot about the experience itself," Kumar said. 

Next fall, Ram will start at Gulf Coast High School. He said he can't wait to join academic clubs and compete in even more competitions at a higher level. 

Kumar said Ram competes in several academic competitions throughout the year, all of which have value, but spelling competitions seem to garner the most attention.

There are common misconceptions about the craft of spelling words, Ram said. Long words are easier to remember through smaller root words. 

"Some words just make sense," Ram said. "There are some words that are also just like really funny."

His strategy is to give it everything he's got. He never doubted himself during Collier County's bee and he won't doubt himself in Washington, he said.

"You just have to say all of the letters right and then at the last letter you feel pretty relieved," Ram said.