When Battle Ground Middle School sixth grader David Betourne steps onto the stage at the Scripps National Spelling Bee in Washington, D.C., later this month, he will carry with him weeks of hard work, determination and a love for words.

David earned his spot in the national competition after winning the regional spelling bee earlier this year.

“I’ve always had a knack and a passion for spelling,” David says.

This will not be David’s first experience competing at a high level. As a fifth grader, he advanced to the regional spelling bee and tied for sixth place.

“This year, I had less time to study, but I was determined to win,” David says. “I studied even harder than before to win the regional spelling bee.”

That preparation means spending one to two hours a day studying words and learning language origins.

“In the age of autocorrect, it’s important to be a good speller because you can’t always rely on it,” David says. “You can’t always misspell a word and then rely on autocorrect. You have to learn how to spell the word correctly.”

Outside of spelling competitions, David keeps busy with a variety of interests. He plays baseball, enjoys playing the piano, building Lego sets and playing chess. He also likes spending time with friends and, as he puts it, “annoying my little sisters.”

David will leave for Washington, D.C., on May 23 and his family will be there to support him during the competition, which is scheduled for May 26-28.