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Akeelah Anderson's life is difficult: her father has died, her mother ignores her, and her brother is involved with the local gangbangers. Even if she's bright, her surroundings are conspiring to suffocate her dreams. Accomplishing a spelling bee in order to avoid detention due to her numerous absences in response to a warning from her school's principal. In the end, she is victorious, much to her astonishment and humiliation. For the more prestigious regional bee, her principal requests that she seek assistance from an English professor named Dr. Larabee. As the chance of making it all the way to the Scripps National Spelling Bee looms, Akeelah may be able to provide her community with someone to unite around and be proud of— but only if she can overcome her fears and her distracted home life before the competition. She must also overcome Dr. Larabee's demons, as well as a field of more experienced and privileged fellow spellers, in order to complete her mission.