Words have enveloped Bryan Keck's young life.

A seventh-grader at Eleanor Roosevelt Middle School, Bryan spent more than 50 hours in recent months preparing for this week's Scripps National Spelling Bee.

"I've been voyaging into the dictionary," Bryan said, adding. "I just want to give (the bee) my best shot."

Dictionaries aren't the only tool used by the middle school student. Bryan also studied SAT workbooks and online resources to help him learn about as many words as possible since winning the TH Media Regional Spelling Bee in March.

"Sometimes, I just see the word in my head as best as I can," Bryan said.

Those skills will be put to the test today. Bryan, or Speller No. 86, will complete a preliminary multiple-choice spelling and vocabulary test at Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center in National Harbor, Md., outside of Washington, D.C.

Preliminaries will continue Wednesday with competitors spelling on stage.

"I'm pretty positive about the spelling bee. It's just a fun thing to do," Bryan said.

Spelling on a national stage is a dream come true for the local student.

"He's wanted this since fourth grade, and every year it's been kind of an emotional roller coaster," said Julie Keck, Bryan's mom. "He's tried so hard every year."

She said it has been incredible to watch her son win the regional bee and then dedicate hours to prepare for the national bee.

"He knows the challenge is huge. He has studied like crazy," said Julie Keck.

David Keck, Bryan's father, added, "You can only prepare so much. He has put in as much time as a person can."

Bryan traveled to Washington, D.C., with his parents and twin sister, Ashlynn, on Saturday. He said his nerves were beginning to reach overdrive status.

"I'm definitely starting to get nervous for the entire bee because some of these kids are the best of the best and I'm competing with them," Bryan said.

In the midst of preparing for the bee, Bryan also ran his new business, Sound Shades, a combination of Bluetooth-enabled earbuds and sunglasses.

Family members are excited to see Bryan progress through the national bee.

"Regardless of how he does out there, we're proud of him," said David Keck.

Spelling bee tidbits

Want to watch the Scripps National Spelling Bee? Here are the broadcast times:
* Wednesday's preliminaries: 7 a.m. to 3:45 p.m. on ESPN3.
* Thursday's semifinals: 9 a.m. to noon on ESPN2.
* Thursday's finals: 7 to 9 p.m. on ESPN.

* There will be 285 spellers this year.

* Spellers range in age from 9 to 15, but more than 80 percent are ages 12 to 14.

* Only two spellers are from Iowa -- Bryan Keck and Zander Reed, of Ames.

* Jonathan Hahn, of St. Olaf, Iowa, finished eighth at the 2004 Scripps National Spelling Bee, the furthest an area speller has advanced in recent years. Kim Meyer, of Scales Mound, Ill., reached the third oral round in 2005, before the competition's structure took on its current format.

* Check THonline.com for updates on our local speller and follow us on Twitter at @TelegraphHerald.

* Video interview with Bryan Keck: THonline.com