Adom Appiah, speller 147, and Nana Addo, speller 155, didn’t meet until they got to Washington, D.C. this week. But they were destined to be friends.

Adom lives in South Carolina and Nana hails from South Dakota. But the seventh graders’ parents are friends.

Adom said he was looking online for stories about other spellers once he knew he was coming to the Bee. He found an article about Nana, and showed his mom – who said she knew him.

Nana’s father told him that Adom was going to be here, too – but not until Nana won at the state.

“It’s nice knowing I was going to know somebody there,” Nana said. “I’m not all alone.”

The boys have been talking on the phone for the past month.

Adom said everyone has been nice, so far – including Nana. The pair said they both plan to do well in the competition.

“We’re going to tie. We have to tie,” Nana said. “We’re tying, then we’re going on tour.”