11 quotes
The Meaning of Love and Safety
Akeelah Anderson
You know that feeling where everything feels right? Where you don't have to worry about tomorrow or yesterday, where you feel safe and know you're doing the best you can? There's a word for that, it's called love. L-O-V-E.
Quotes sourced from Wikiquote (© Wikiquote contributors), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Modified for formatting/length.
Encouragement in a Spelling Competition
Katie Kerwin McCrimmon
Several of the kids placed very high in last year's bee, especially Dylan Chiu. He's come in second two years in a row.
[commentating on TV]
Derrick-T
Kick his butt, Akeelah! B-U-T-T, butt!
Quotes sourced from Wikiquote (© Wikiquote contributors), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Modified for formatting/length.
The Pressure of Representing a Struggling School
Mr. Welch
So whoever wins the school bee today gets to represent Crenshaw at the district bee next month.
Akeelah
Why would anybody want to represent a school where they can't even put doors on the toilet stalls?
Mr. Welch
Akeelah, if we can't show students can perform, we're not going to have money for books, let alone bathroom doors. Now, I want you to do the bee today, okay?
Akeelah
So everyone can call me a freak and a brainiac? No, I ain't down for no spelling bee.
Mr. Welch
Well, maybe you'd be down for spending the rest of the semester in detention for all your absences?
Quotes sourced from Wikiquote (© Wikiquote contributors), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Modified for formatting/length.
Defining a Word in Competition
Male judge
If you spell this correctly, you'll be our 10th and last finalist.
Female judge
Carmagnole.
[the boy looks to his mom, who gives him a thumbs up]
Cheating boy
Could I get a definition, please?
Female judge
A lively song and street dance.
Cheating boy
Um... C... A... R... M... A... G... N... O-L-E, carmagnole.
[Kiana, watching through the door's window, sees the boy's mom mouth out the letter, "G"]
Male judge
That's correct, and that means you are our 10th and last finalist for the district bee.
[a thunderous applause erupts, especially from the boy's mom. Akeelah is devastated]
Kiana
THEY CHEATED!!! THEY CHEATED!! I saw them! That boy's mama helped him out!
[bursts through the door, outraged]
Male judge
What...? Excuse me... Who are you?
Kiana
I'm Akeelah's sister. I was standing right back there, and I saw that boy's mama give him the letter "G." She was saying, "geeeee.
Cheating boy's mom
He knew the word. I-I mean, it's one we studied. He knew it.
Male judge
Ma'am, did you help your child spell the word? Ma'am, this is serious business.
[the boy's mom shakes her head]
Cheating boy's mom
OH, YOU'RE DAMN RIGHT IT'S SERIOUS! You know, you are gonna give these kids ulcers! Do you know how long he has studied for this?! He knew that word!
Cheating boy
No. I didn't.
[embarrassed]
Male judge
I'm sorry, number 62, you are disqualified from competition.
Quotes sourced from Wikiquote (© Wikiquote contributors), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Modified for formatting/length.
Embracing Personal Power and Potential
Akeelah
Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same.
[quoting [[Marianne Williamson]
Dr. Larabee
Does that mean anything to you?
Akeelah
I don't know.
Dr. Larabee
It's written in plain English. What does it mean?
Akeelah
That I'm not supposed to be afraid?
Dr. Larabee
Afraid of what?
Akeelah
Afraid of... me?
Quotes sourced from Wikiquote (© Wikiquote contributors), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Modified for formatting/length.
The Weight of Spelling Bees
Akeelah
This is all starting to sound heavy.
Boy
It is heavy. Spelling bees are serious. I think I'll take a shot. On second thought, can I spell the word?
[throws the ball, but misses the hoop]
Quotes sourced from Wikiquote (© Wikiquote contributors), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Modified for formatting/length.
The Importance of Preparation in Spelling Bees
Akeelah
Okay. But when I'm at the bee, and they tell me to spell some little fish from Australia or some weird bacteria on the Moon, we're going to wish we'd done a little bit more "rote-morizing" and not so much essay reading. If you don't mind me saying.
Dr. Larabee
Bacteria don't exist on the Moon.
Quotes sourced from Wikiquote (© Wikiquote contributors), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Modified for formatting/length.
Inquisitiveness vs. Obnoxiousness in Learning
Akeelah
I'm naturally inquisitive.
Dr. Larabee
Yes, which is also sometimes confused with being naturally obnoxious.
Quotes sourced from Wikiquote (© Wikiquote contributors), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Modified for formatting/length.
Perception of Language and Identity
Terrence
Man, that's a white word if I ever heard one. It's a trick. Stop playing!
Quotes sourced from Wikiquote (© Wikiquote contributors), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Modified for formatting/length.
The Origin of Big Words
Dr. Larabee
Where do you think big words come from?
Akeelah
People with big brains?
Quotes sourced from Wikiquote (© Wikiquote contributors), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Modified for formatting/length.
Misunderstanding the Meaning of "Grovel
Ms. Cross
Now, we're gonna start things off with "grovel.
Chuckie
Gravel? Like little rocks?
Ms. Cross
No, grovel, like "get down on your knees and grovel.
Chuckie
Get down on my knees? What?!
[shocked]
Ms. Cross
Just spell the word.
Chuckie
Uh, G-R-A-V-E-L.
Ms. Cross
No, Chuckie, you spelled "gravel." I meant "grovel", G-R-O-V-E-L. You weren't listening. Sorry, Chuckie.
Chuckie
Who cares?
Quotes sourced from Wikiquote (© Wikiquote contributors), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Modified for formatting/length.