I took this photo on June 6, 2014 in Benin, at the 6th National Spelling Bee. This photo shows two of my students studying English words for the upcoming spelling bee. This was a life-defining moment mostly for these students -- they had been studying and doing mock competitions for months to earn their place in the spelling bee. In additon to the spelling bee, they earned a free trip to a city almost 500 miles and a full day of traveling away. It was the first time either of them had been to the north of their own country, the first time they had ridden a bus, and the first time they had seen a mountain. My girl, Viviane, was eliminated after the fourth round in the girls' competition, and my boy, Hyacinthe, earned second place in the boys' competition.