Can you out-spell these Windsor Essex kids? 2 locals heading to D.C. for Scripps spelling bee

Two elementary school students from Windsor Essex head to Washington, D.C. Sunday to compete in the Scripps National Spelling Bee.

"I'm very excited. I'm very proud of myself. I'm also very surprised. I didn't think I could make it this far," said Isabella Cowan, an 11-year-old, sixth grade student from St. Andre French Immersion Catholic Elementary School in Tecumseh.

Cowan won the local regional competition sponsored by the Windsor Family Credit Union in March.

Zain Malik, a 13-year-old, eighth grade student from Academie St. Cecile International School was the runner-up.

"I feel confident I can do good but winning - I'm not sure yet," said Malik after he and Cowan were presented with backpacks full of WFCU swag at the company headquarters Wednesday.

Malik said arsenic and oligarchy were two tough words he had to spell in the local competition which pitted 28 grade six, seven and eight students against each other.

WATCH | Students spell their toughest words ahead of the big spelling bee: 

Windsor students on their way to Washington, D.C.

3 years ago

Duration 0:39

Zain Malik and Isabella Cowan will be competing at the Scripp Spelling Bee. They spell some of the more difficult words they've studied.

He said he prepared for the spelling bee by having people quiz him on the list words they are given to study.

Malik and Cowan will be among 234 students at the spelling bee in Washington, D.C.

"I'm going to try and stay calm and relax and breathe and take my time and make sure I'm aware of everything, of every letter that I say, because I can't change it once it comes out of my mouth. So I'm going to try and do my best," said Cowan

"I can tell that she studied very hard," said Cowan's mother Belinda Pagliaroli.

While at the local level, the competitors are given a list of words to study, at the national competition they will have to know definitions and could be asked to spell any word from the Miriam Webster dictionary, which means they will have to know the American spelling.

"There could be alternate spellings. Depends on what's in the dictionary so if the Canadian spelling is there then they'll accept it from my understanding," said Pagliaroli.

Other students from outside the U.S. will be a part of the competition, including children from the Bahamas, Germany and Ghana. The competition starts Tuesday. First prize is a trophy and $50,000. Cowan said if she wins it will go toward her education.