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HAY RIVER - Caitlin Chambers, 11, has already proved she has a talent for spelling.

The Hay River resident is one of four contestants from the territories who qualified for the regional championships in the CBC series Canada's Super Speller.

Caitlin Chambers of Hay River, at home with a bookcase full of books, is participating in a Canada-wide spelling bee competition, some of which will be airing on CBC. - Cara Loverock/ NNSL photo

She and her father Jamie were headed to Vancouver Sept. 9 to take part in the first of three rounds that will whittle 48 participants down to four who will compete in the final contest in Halifax.

Chambers, sitting at her kitchen table before leaving for Vancouver, said she was excited for the chance to compete with kids from across Canada.

"I'm always helping everybody else in my family spell," said Chambers, who also knows a little Inuktitut. A Grade 6 student at Princess Alexandra school, Chambers has lived all over the NWT. She was born in Yellowknife, moved to Norman Wells where the family resided for eight years and then lived in Fort Smith for three years.

"And now we live here," said Chambers of her current home town of Hay River.

She said she found out about the competition through an ad on TV.

"My dad saw commercials for it when he was watching hockey," said Chambers.

Her father said he thought of his daughter right away when he saw the commercial.

"She's really smart," he said. "Little did I know we'd be getting a trip to Vancouver."

Chambers registered for Canada's Super Speller online last March, along with thousands of other kids. The top 400 advanced to local spelldowns and Chambers was the winner after competing at the Hay River Reserve.

Asked what the hardest word she ever had to spell was Chambers said, "lugubriate," meaning sad or mournful.

Cheryl Hassen, executive producer of Canada's Super Speller, said the show will not just focus on spelling, but on "the characters and story of the kids." She said the show is intended to be a positive experience for the kids taking part.

Hassen was scheduled to meet all the participants in Vancouver. She said she hadn't met Chambers yet.

"Hopefully she'll keep her cool and come out on top," she said.