San Antonio 12-year-old Ricky Rodriguez has always had a way with words and will use those skills at a national Scrabble competition in Washington, D.C..

Ricky Rodriguez was diagnosed with autism at 18 weeks. “I’ll see the word and I am like ‘There is no way that is a word,’” Erin Rodriguez said. “Around this time, my oldest was practicing for the spelling bee,” Erin Rodriguez said. He is really good at losing now and when he wins big, we are all super excited. “I think he can be a really good play one day if he continues to work hard like he is doing.