PORT ORANGE — Thirty-six elementary and middle school contestants had their chances Tuesday, but none could dethrone Beatrice “Trixie” Meckley, who claimed her second consecutive Volusia County Spelling Bee title at Port Orange Elementary School.

The DeLand Middle School sixth-grader outlasted her opponents in the 11th round with the final word “kabuki.”

Meckley's triumph is the third in a row for her family — older sister Evie won in 2016. Trixie was second in 2016.

But even with her family’s history and her participation in 10 spelling bees before Tuesday — eight of which she was crowned the queen bee — Meckley “definitely didn’t expect” to walk away the winner again.

“It’s always different every year,” the 11-year-old said, adding “(the words) get harder from beginning to end and when you start with words that hard it’s not a good sign.”

Still, her approach remained the same. While some students trace the letters of a word on the inside of their hand or pause between bursts of syllables, Meckley looked up as she thought.

“That technique has worked pretty well for me, so I’m still using it,” she said.

She’s also carried on a tradition of waking up on the morning of a bee and trading words to spell with Evie, now a freshman at DeLand High School, during family practice sessions.

“She hounds me until I help her,” Evie said, before explaining, “I do legitimately want to help her win this and do well.”

Trixie Meckley spelled against peers in grades four through eight who won individual school spelling bees at both public and private schools across the county.

“This gives kids a chance to really showcase a particular skill,” said Tracy Blinn, a spelling bee moderator and curriculum specialist for the Volusia County school district, noting that a talent in spelling “is sometimes a unique characteristic a student has.”

For Meckley, who Blinn termed "an amazing speller," her talent is backed by a family-wide love of reading and constant encouragement from her parents, Adrienne and Kent Meckley, both of whom were spellbound and anxious during their daughter’s minutes at the microphone.

"For her to be the runner-up or winner three years in a row is remarkable because it is such tough competition," Kent said. "I certainly couldn’t do it."

Meckley’s talent combined with luck this year as she advanced to the finals after having wound her way through a list of words from a variety of origins — including "coppice," "tomatillo" and "elixir."

"Kabuki," a word she was familiar with, put to rest three rounds of a spelling sparring with runner-up Shir Tal of the Esformes Hebrew Academy in Ormond Beach, as they spelled words like "Illuminati," "mascara," "teriyaki" and "Amarillo" — the last of which Tal faltered on.

While spelling bees spike her nerves as much as they do her spelling ability, Meckley also had fun in the midst of the adrenaline rush.

“It’s exciting to spell words right,” she said, noting every correct word draws out her confidence.

She has two more attempts to add to her spelling accolades. Both Meckley, who won a backpack and a Kindle, and Tal, who also took home a backpack, advance to the Orlando Sentinel District Bee on March 21. The winner will be entered into the National Spelling Bee in Washington, D.C., in May.