Runner-up Elyse Waite holds her head in her hands as eventual champion Eddie Felder III calmly waits his chance to claim the 2002 Mississippi Spelling Bee title.

After 21 gruelling rounds, Eddie Felder III of Biloxi, MS was more indomitable than any of his 28 competitors at the 2002 Mississippi Spelling Bee sponsored by The Clarion-Ledger.

The home-schooled Felder correctly spelled "indomitable" to finally end his duel with Elyse Waite, a student at Northwest Rankin Middle School in Brandon, MS. The two 13-year old eighth graders matched each other vowel for vowel for 11 rounds before Waite finally tripped over the word "cantor", a synogogue official who leads the congregation in prayer. Felder spelled the word correctly, then confidently spelled "indomitable" to claim the state title and the trip to the National Spelling Bee in Washington, D.C. in May.

"We pray we'll do as well (in Washington)," said Felder's mom Mrs. Valerie Felder. "Now, it's back to the books."

"I was confident I would do well," Eddie said after his state championship performance. "We read a lot. We love to read," said the oldest of the Felder's seven children. Felder's father, Maj.Eddie Felder, Jr is stationed at Keesler Air Force Base In Biloxi, MS.

"This was the best competition we've had at the end of the bee," said Ms. Pam Cleveland, Newspaper and Education Coordinator for The Clarion Ledger. "These kids were fantastic. It was a tribute to them that very few people left even after their favorites had been eliminated."

This was the first time for the event to be held at the Museum since its inception in 1987. Museum Executive Director Michael Rubenstein served as the official pronouncer.

"It's the most nerve-wracking thing I do each year,"said Rubenstein. "No one wants to be the one who makes a mistake and ruins some youngster's dream."

The National Spelling Bee will take place in Washington, D.C. May 29-30, 2002.

© Copyright 2001-2002 by Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame Museum

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