As Jemison Middle School sixth grader Anna Kendrick walked up to the microphone Wednesday morning at the Chilton County Spelling Bee, she was filled with a mixture of nerves and excitement.

Leaning into the microphone in front of a crowd of fellow bee contestants, parents, teachers, family and friends, Kendrick methodically spelled “v-e-r-v-e” to take home the title for correctly spelling the word.

“I was very nervous but couldn’t believe I won,” Kendrick said. “I tried to take my time spelling out the word.”

Christie Xie from Clanton Middle School was runner-up.

Eight students competed in the bee, which began at 8:30 a.m. at the Alabama Conference Center in Clanton.

A total of 207 words were called out for the students to spell by Patsy Ratliff.

Kendrick said while she was nervous stepping in front of the judges, she enjoys spelling words and spent time practicing the words leading up to the bee.

“I studied every word on the list they gave us to practice,” Kendrick said. “Everyone did such a good job, so I knew I was going to have to focus.”

Kendrick’s parents are Amy and Nathan Kendrick.

“We are so proud of her,” Amy Kendrick said. “It is nerve-wracking as a parent sitting out in the crowd listening to every word spelled, but we are elated that she won and so, so proud of her.”

This is not the first spelling bee for Kendrick to win, after recently taking home the title at the Jemison Middle School Spelling Bee.

Kendrick’s favorite word to spell is “gung ho” and the hardest word for her to spell is “Machiavellian.”

“I enjoy spelling words a lot,” Kendrick said. “I think it is fun.”

Mandy Lowery was the county bee coordinator and said she was proud of each contestant.

“They all did such a great job,” Lowery said. “It was a fierce competition because everyone studied so much.”

Kendrick will now advance to compete in the Alabama Spelling Bee March 7 at Alabaster First United Methodist Church.

The winner of the state bee will advance to compete in the Scripps National Spelling Bee in Washington D.C.

Other students competing in Wednesday’s county spelling bee were: Campbell Easterling, who represented Clanton Intermediate School; Madison Davis, who represented Isabella; Mabrie Lawrence, who represented Jemison Elementary School; Dorian Heard, who represented Maplesville; Rylie Scarbrough, who represented Thorsby and Laliah Benjamin, who represented Verbena.

Wednesday’s bee had students ranging from third to seventh grades.