If Jack Ford was again given the word “lasciviousness,” chances are strong that he’d spell it correctly.

That’s the word the Ripon Elementary School sixth-grade student missed in the ninth round at last month’s San Joaquin County Spelling Bee Championships.

Ford, 11, did well enough to finish runner-up to Jill Rafert, who is a sixth-grade student at Annunciation School in Stockton.

The two will represent SJC at the state Spelling Bee in Stockton come April.

“I’m hoping to make Ripon proud,” Ford said at Monday’s Ripon Unified school board meeting.

He was introduced to the board by Superintendent Louise Johnson.

Ford noted that he studied from a prepared word list prior to the county Spelling Bee but wasn’t certain as of yet if the same will be furnished for the state competition.

“I’m really not training for the state right now,” said Ford, who, instead, is working towards his 400 Accelerated Readers Points at school.

He mentioned that his favorite word is: “hippopotomonstrosesquippedaliophobia.”

What’s the definition? “It’s the fear of long words,” Ford said.